The UKMajor Ports Group(“UKMPG”), the voice for the UK’s largest port operators, today announced the creation of a Youth Board.

The Youth Board will provide, on behalf of the future leaders of the ports sector, an advisory perspective on the strategy of the UKMPG. The Youth Board is charged with having a specific focus on ensuring UKMPG is working today on the priorities for long term, sustainable success of the ports sector in the UK and that the future ports sector is an attractive one to join and a fulfilling one to work in.

The Youth Board’s first meeting will be on November 1st where it will review the draft UKMPG strategy for 2020, alongside being briefed by the Government on the Maritime 2050 vision and receiving an external expert perspective on key maritime sector trends from Drewry.

Recommendations on the UKMPG strategy for 2020 will then go forward to the main UKMPG Board, made up of the CEOs of the UKs largest port operators, ahead of its meeting later in the month.

The Youth Board is made up of two young colleagues nominated by each member. Typically in their mid to late twenties they cover a broad range of roles –operational, commercial and functional. They come from a range of career paths. Some began their time in the ports sector as apprentices or operators, some are products of graduate programmes and some have joinedthe ports world from other sectors. Nominees are almost a 50:50 gender balance.

Commenting on the formation of the youth boardTim Morris, CEO of UKMPG, said “It’s vital that the priorities that UKMPG works on today are the right ones not just for the long-term, sustainable success of the sector but also are the ones that attractand motivate high potential young people to work in our sector. Getting the perspectives of the ports leaders of tomorrow is, we believe, a key way of achieving this. The Youth Board should be a fantastic opportunity for UKMPG to gather these perspectives, help shape our strategy accordingly and present the output to the main Board.

”Commenting on the composition of the Youth Board Tim continued“It’s great to see such a range of backgrounds in the Youth Board members and particularly encouraging to see a much-improved gender balance from where the sector is today. All of this bodes well for the future of the UKports sector. I’m looking forward to an exciting and thought-provoking meeting on November 1st!”

Source: UKMPG