Two school leavers from Teesside have set sail from Teesport on an eleven day round trip to St Petersburg via Rotterdam, Riga and Helsinki, with local based shipping line, Containerships Ltd Oy.
Laura Becker, 16 and Kelly Mann, 16 are the first of four young people who successfully applied for a place on the Containerships vessel as part of a wider summer scheme led by new charity, the High Tide Foundation.
The trip will offer a unique insight into life on a working container ship and illustrate how important cargoes are imported and exported around the world. Laura and Kelly will have the chance to meet the Captain and observe the daily duties experienced by crew members, as well as spending some free time taking in the sites in Rotterdam, Riga and Helsinki.
Andy Frost, Containerships’ MD and High Tide Member, said: “The Containerships Group is delighted to be part of a local initiative which we hope will raise the employment and lifestyle aspirations of the young people of Teesside and inspire them to achieve greater things than they might otherwise have achieved.
“Established here in the late 1960’s Containerships has experienced and weathered the economic storms which have hit the Teesside area over the years and I believe that now is the time for the local business community to come together to give hope and belief to the next generation, and those that follow, that they have a future in the region.
“I hope that our small contribution to the High Tide Foundation, and the experience it will create for those involved, will encourage other local business to join us in making the project a success for the future benefit of the local community and businesses on Teesside.”
David Robinson, High Tide Trustee and CEO, PD Ports, said: “We are delighted to see some of our young people in the region being given an opportunity to experience a very real and engaging work placement experience. High Tide is founded on the principles of engagement and collaboration both with young people and connected private sector businesses on and around the River Tees.
“This fantastic opportunity Containerships has offered these young people is the first significant output from the High Tide Foundation and we aim to create many more like it. With so many of today’s young people lacking the necessary skills and knowledge to help support them on a fruitful career path, High Tide aims to open the minds of young people, raising their aspirations and providing real employment opportunities.”
Earlier this month, sixteen school leavers embarked on the summer scheme which provides each young person with valuable work experience in companies surrounding the River Tees.
The summer scheme offers each participant a two week work placement over the summer holidays – one week with two different employers. High Tide created this scheme to help young people leaving school to gain an understanding of life in the workplace, as well as the variety of careers available whilst providing them an opportunity to earn a reference they can use on their CVs.
Companies that are taking part in this summer scheme include Agility Logistics, Casper Shipping, Containerships, Cory Brothers, Denholm Wilhelmsen, PD Ports, Richard Fox Transport and SABIC.
For more information visit www.hightidefoundation.co.uk or contact Kirsten Donkin – Kirsten.donkin@pdports.co.uk
