07.07.2014

All set for Thames careers and trade fair at PLA Gravesend base

The Port of London Authority (PLA) and National Maritime Development Group (NMDG) are all set to welcome students and job seekers to a Careers and Trade Fair at Royal Terrace Pier, Gravesend, on Wednesday, 16 July.

This year’s event follows on from last summer’s first Open Day, which attracted over 1,000 people.

PLA’s chief harbour master, David Phillips, explained:

“Last summer’s fair was hugely successful, so we’re working with NMDG to give Thames companies a further opportunity to showcase careers on the river.

“We’ve changed the format a bit this year, with focused tours for 40 students from Longfield Academy and the London Nautical School, together with jobseekers from Job Centre Plus, showing them our navigational safety technology and marine engineering operations. This is combined with the Fair, which is open to people dropping in on the day, where more than 30 companies will be exhibiting.”

Maritime industries on the tidal Thames contribute more than £3 billion to the UK economy annually and employ over 46,000 people.

Use of the Thames through London has grown markedly in the last five years and is set to continue growing with the Mayor’s River Action Plan looking to double the number of river passenger journeys and the Thames Tideway Tunnel scheme expected to make heavy use of the river too. Investment is also in hand at major Thames terminals, the Port of Tilbury and London Gateway container port.

Exhibitors at the event will include: Port of Tilbury, Commercial Marine and Piling, S Walsh & Son, Kort Propulsion, Land and Water Group, DP World London Gateway, Thames Tideway Tunnel and the RSPB.

The NMDG is organising the Careers and Trade Fair; their Thames & Channel National Maritime Development Group represents a maritime ‘cluster’ of more than 4,000 businesses, employing 210,000 people, with a turnover of £5 billion per annum.

More information: http://www.jobsinmaritime.com/?p=13496

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