SuperPort to grow SuperSkills

UK ports group Peel Ports said it will back the UK’s only Low Carbon and SuperPort University Technical College (UTC), which has just entered into its consultation period.

The UTC is due to open in 2014 specialising in training 14 to 19 year olds to give them the engineering and logistics skills necessary for the low carbon economy and SuperPort industries in Liverpool, UK.

It is estimated that the region’s transformational SuperPort plans, which include £1.8 billion (US$ 2.7 billion) of investment in new infrastructure projects across the region, will generate up to 35,000 jobs over twenty years.

Plans include Peel Ports’ development of multimodal logistics hubs along the Manchester Ship Canal, as well as a new in-river container terminal at the Port of Liverpool, Liverpool2, due to be operational in 2015.

Howard Sloane, Peel Ports group head of HR, said, “The whole region stands to benefit enormously from growth in the SuperPort and low carbon industries and Peel Ports’ investment in Liverpool2 and the developments along the Manchester Ship Canal are a fundamental part of that future.

“Investing in our next generation workforce is essential for what will be a SuperPort of global significance. The Liverpool Low Carbon and SuperPort UTC is a genuinely exciting opportunity for local young people because it will allow them to access the specific skills and qualifications they need to pursue successful careers within these growth industries.”

Elaine Bowker, Liverpool Community College principal, said, “The SuperPort and sustainable industry will be crucial to the future success of Liverpool’s economy. The University Technical College will play a vital role in this success, supplying the skills for these industries, helping fuel growth and ensuring that it’s local people that benefit from the jobs created.”

The consultation period for the UTC runs until 22 March 2013. Residents and employers are being asked to submit their views on the plans for the scheme.