Joining the Tees and Hartlepool Port Authority a day before his 18th birthday in 1989, Terry has been part of PD Ports for over 30 years.
From his very first shift at Tees Dock’s Ro-Ro terminal to becoming Quality and Assurance Manager in July 2024, it’s been a story of challenges, achievements and opportunities. Three decades on, his journey is still ongoing.
“PD Ports have been a fantastic and supportive employer and my career has been very varied. I enjoy the challenges it brings and being able to help others as I undertake my activities.
“Personally, it also shows that there are many different roles within the industry, from providing support to frontline operators who are importing and exporting goods worldwide, to ensuring the company complies with internal and external requirements, while remaining an employer of choice.
“I would certainly recommend any person looking to embark on a career within the port industry to do so. There are so many different options and opportunities on offer.”
As well as different roles and responsibilities, Terry has worked across our sites, including Teesport, Hartlepool, and the wider group. In that time, he’s been encouraged to continue his personal and professional development, leading to several qualifications such as becoming a Chartered Practitioner with the Chartered Quality Institute, a Foundation Degree in Leadership and Management from Teesside University, and securing a NEBOSH Health & Safety General Certificate.
“I’ve always said that you can never stop learning and PD Ports are always willing to support that. All throughout my career I’ve been supported by the company and my colleagues to develop professionally and personally.”
Now tasked with managing quality and assurance requirements throughout the business, Terry’s current role calls on his time-served experience and expertise. And while it provides challenges, it’s a role that crucially underpins our group wide operations.
“It’s a challenging, very varied role, as you never know what aspects of compliance you might need to address each hour, day or week. But it’s one I find interesting and diverse. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge and understanding of the business requirements during my career, a lot through auditing and working with colleagues across the group.”
While Terry is proud of his personal achievements so far, one of the most rewarding aspects of his career is nurturing and supporting the next generation of talent.
“I’m proud that the two compliance coordinators I trained have progressed to new positions within the company having developed their initial skills. I’ve just completed training a new compliance coordinator and will continue to mentor them, ensuring our future work is in safe hands.”
Head to careers to find out more about working at PD Ports and our opportunities.
