Peel pioneers in marine apprenticeships in-house

The move makes Peel Ports the first UK port to provide a complete suite of nationally recognised maritime qualifications in-house, enabling tailored delivery, consistent standards and faster workforce development across its operations.

“People have always been at the heart of our operations, and learning provider status allows us to go even further with internal training. By developing and delivering qualifications in-house, we can nurture local talent and ensure our workforce has the skills to meet the demands of a changing industry,” said Claire McKay, head of learning and development at Peel Ports Group.

“We are setting a benchmark for our sector; while also supporting the key industries we serve including construction, retail and energy.”

Nurturing talent

The port operator is offering Level 2 and Level 4 Port Marine Operations Officer programmes directly to employees, with a Level 3 apprenticeship launching soon.

Training is already underway for staff aged 16 to 64 across the company’s UK facilities, reflecting a broad commitment to lifelong maritime training and structured marine apprenticeships.

By becoming an approved learner provider, Peel Ports said it can design courses aligned with operational demands, safety requirements and areas of the sector that have historically lacked formal qualifications.

The accreditation places the group alongside major employers on the government’s apprenticeship provider and assessment register and underlines continued skills investment to strengthen port capability and resilience.

Future management and customer service qualifications are also planned, widening access to development pathways for shoreside and marine personnel.

Peel Ports said courses will be updated regularly to reflect industry trends and evolving operational needs, supporting efforts to tackle the wider maritime skills shortage.

The company added that delivering qualifications internally will help nurture local talent, improve productivity and set a benchmark for workforce development across the commercial marine sector.