Scrabster Harbour First in UK to Achieve Port Operations Qualification

Apr 10 2014

Scrabster Harbour Trust are delighted to announce that their port operators are now fully qualified to NVQ Level 2 in Port Operations, making it the first port in the UK to achieve this level of qualification.

This nationally recognised qualification, based on best practices agreed by employers across the port industry, covers areas including Stevedoring, Marine Operations, Passenger Operations, General Port Operations and Team Leading.

Scrabster Harbour were assisted in their training efforts by Caithness Chamber of Commerce’s “Make the Right Connections” project, which provides funding for training to help local individuals and businesses reduce their reliance on the Dounreay supply chain and diversify into new growth sectors. The training programme was delivered by HelCat Training Limited.

The Scrabster team were awarded their certificates at a ceremony at the Harbour, attended by Trust Chairman Tom Pottinger, Trust Manager Sandy Mackie, Harbour Master Gordon Mackenzie, Deputy Harbour Master Jason Hamilton. Also in attendance were Trudy Morris, Chief Executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, Marcus Mennie, Project Coordinator for Make the Right Connections and Helen Mackay, Director at HelCat Training Ltd.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sandy Mackie, Trust Manager of Scrabster Harbour Trust said: “The Trust has a well-publicised strategy to grow the port for the benefit of operators, harbour users and the local economy. Skills and developing our staff is a key element of that strategy. It has been a considerable team and partnership effort to put together a suitable training programme. I commend our partners but also our staff on their achievement. The port is now better placed than ever to meet the needs of current and future users and can offer progression routes for our staff.”

Trudy Morris, Chief Executive of Caithness Chamber of Commerce, said: “We are delighted that the Chamber was able to assist Scrabster Harbour in training their staff to meet the needs of the developing economy.

Caithness is ideally situated to take advantage of growth opportunities in sectors such as oil and gas and renewables and we expect to see more exciting news from Scrabster and other businesses in the area over the next few years.”

Make the Right Connections is a £2.3m skills programme aimed at retaining skills in the area and assisting local supply chain businesses in diversifying into new sectors. It is led by Caithness Chamber of Commerce and funded by a partnership of the European Social Fund, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Dounreay Site Restoration Ltd and Skills Development Scotland.