Employer Story

Skilled Leaders Transform Bristol Port

In a safety-critical work environment like Bristol Port, it is essential to have skilled and strong team leaders managing the work.

Skills Training UK created a bespoke programme of training for 40 employees which used Apprenticeships in Team Leadership and Management and Business Administration.

Improving productivity and relationships

The Bristol Port Company is a thriving business offering shipping, transit storage, distribution and logistics services. Every year it handles 25% of all UK aviation fuel imports, six million tonnes of dry goods, 25% of all animal feed imports and 800,000 motor vehicles.

The training focused on supporting the Port to achieve its goals of upskilling managers and team leaders and improving problem solving and conflict management.

The training also supported staff to improve planning, workload management and procurement. And it supported the development of team skills, encouraging innovation, productive working relationships and the delivery of improved customer service.

Skills Training UK has been excellent. They dovetailed with our business objectives and created bespoke training that was exactly what we asked for.

Nick Venn, Training Manager, The Bristol Port Company

Casestudy overlay

New ways of thinking

The training has helped staff develop a greater understanding of The Bristol Port Company’s commercial needs. They’ve grown in confidence, developed new ways of thinking and are able to manage their teams more effectively.

Nick Venn, Training Manager at The Bristol Port Company, said: “Skills Training UK are very professional, and the staff are very well organised. The trainer assessors work closely with everyone and the feedback from learners has been very positive. The training was directly relevant to what they do, so they’ve been able to see some big improvements and real benefits.”

Business Administration staff have been buoyed by new qualification and support, helping the company operate more effectively.

Supervisor Filip Tutak (left) with The Bristol Port Company’s Training Manager Nick Venn

Supervisor Filip Tutak (left) with The Bristol Port Company’s Training Manager Nick Venn

Skills Training UK’s Mark Smallpage (left) with Operations Administration Manager Mike Harris

Skills Training UK’s Mark Smallpage (left) with Operations Administration Manager Mike Harris

What the learners said

The course was set up in a very structured way and brought the team closer together because we were all sharing a common goal. It helped staff to understand their roles and see how they fitted in to the bigger picture. Skills Training UK brought that to the fore.

Mike Harris, Operations Administration Manager, Level 3 Management

We’re a large site and quite unconventional in how we operate compared to other businesses, but Skills Training UK was able to adapt their material and make it relevant.

Alex Williams, Operations Administrator, Level 3 in Business Administration

I definitely feel like I’m managing the team better. I know how to deal with stressful situations, and I can work effectively to minimise conflict – allowing the team to maintain the productivity that we’re looking for.

Filip Tutak, Supervisor, Level 2 Team Leader

Contact Us