The managing director of one of the biggest employers in the Grimsby, Immingham and Cleethorpes area is returning to his old school to encourage pupils to follow in his footsteps with a career in the shipping, transport and logistics industry.
Andrew Byrne, MD of DFDS Seaways UK, is a former pupil of Cleethorpes Academy in its previous guise of Lindsey School. The company has now announced a partnership with the academy to encourage pupils to consider the employment opportunities that are available right on their doorstep.
Andrew said: “My role of Enterprise Adviser will help young people in the academy understand the vast number of different careers options that exist only a few miles from their academy. Immingham is the biggest port in the UK by tonnage and very few people know this when they leave school. It is likely that people in our area come into daily contact with a product that has been imported through Immingham, yet many are unaware of the pivotal part the port and the Humber play in supporting our daily lives.
“We have many different roles across our business, and as technology has developed so the roles have become more modern. I believe there is still a misconception that dock work is old fashioned, when in fact it is an exciting, fast paced environment involving operating technology driven machinery worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.
“I want DFDS and the shipping and logistics industry to have a pipeline of new talent and be an attractive career option for young men and women from our area. As a former pupil of this school in its previous guise as Lindsey School, I know I would have appreciated this more personal and direct partnership with industry.”
Fiona Headridge, Careers Hub Lead for the Humber (Hull and East Yorkshire LEP) said of the partnership: “The Hull and East Yorkshire LEP creates a framework where businesses can work with schools and colleges in order to inspire young people, unlocking their potential and revealing exciting new career options.
“Raising the profile and numbers of young people looking towards careers in ports and logistics is key for the region and nation. This commitment from DFDS will really benefit young people to make well informed choices as they map out their career paths. We are so grateful for individuals like Andrew who see the real benefit in engaging with schools and colleges.”
Ben Pharaoh, Assistant Principal and Careers Lead of Cleethorpes Academy, said: “This is an incredible opportunity for our academy and students to be involved with. This partnership will allow our students to find out about a thriving and highly successful industry on their doorstep, and hopefully signpost them towards careers in this area. The students in this town are a great untapped resource for local industry, and the more opportunities we can create for them to realise their potential, the more success both they and local business can achieve.”
Janice Hornby, Principal of Cleethorpes Academy, added: “We are incredibly excited about the opportunities this partnership will give us to develop the skills and qualities of our students. Preparing them for the wider world and ensuring that they have the necessary toolkit to be successful in life, is a principal ethos of the academy.”
The partnership will see Andrew and his colleagues from DFDS visit the academy to give talks and presentations about the work they do and to explain the careers opportunities that are available.
DFDS employs over 1000 people across its sites in Grimsby, Immingham and Killingholme and has enjoyed substantial and continued growth over the last five years.
