Unite has signed a Learning Agreement with PD Ports on Teesport which will bring learning opportunities and support to employees across the site.

Teesport is a deep-water facility with a natural marine opening located less than a mile from the mouth of the river Tees on the North East coast of England. The port handles over 5,000 vessels each year and around 40 million tonnes of cargo on a site covering nearly 780 acres.  PD Ports employers over 1250 workers across the country, most at the Teesport site.

Signing the agreement on behalf of Unite, regional officer, Suzanne Reid, said:

In an ever evolving world we need to be susceptible to change and learning new skills."

Unite’s Learning Agreement with PD Ports aims to break down barriers to engage members in learning whether it be vocational for future employment, or Spanish to order a beer and paella!!”.

Suzanne was joined by Group HR Director, Russ McCallion, who stated:

This is a great example of PD Ports and Unite working together to support personal development and assisting the lifelong learning of those people that make our business great; helping them to acquire essential skills that they need to live.”

We are committed to ensuring that together with Unite we can further support learning, making opportunities accessible to everyone within the business”.

Mick Simpson, Unite learning organiser, added:

This is just the latest example of how Unite works in partnership with companies to promote work based lifelong learning opportunities that boost skills levels across the organisation both personally and professionally. I look forward to working with everyone to develop and sustain initiatives that will bring positive benefits, raise aspirations and realise potential”.

Mick also paid tribute to Unite’s Union Learning Representative at the port, Ashley Hunt. Mick said:

Although only recently elected he has already raised awareness of what is on offer and has recruited a number of learners who are working towards a range of different qualifications. He has also put together a group that will shortly be starting accredited courses in Functional skills Maths and English – well done Ashley”.

In response Ashley said:

LearnWithUnite can open doors for our members and colleagues and I will be working hard to encourage people to take advantage of the learning opportunities on offer.”