By Steve Agbota
APM Terminals Apapa has said it spent a total of 9,696 man-hours in 2023, investing in employees’ learning and development.
Senior People Business Partner, Omolara Olatunbosun, said that every year, a training calendar is designed towards the training and professional development of employees.
“Our employees are one of our core values. Ensuring that we have the right person with the right skills for each job is integral to the success of our operations. So, we understand the importance of investing in learning and development to enhance their productivity and overall wellbeing. On the average, there is an investment of 24.1 man-hours in the training of an employee annually,” she said.
Adding that the terminal is committed to cultivating a culture that fosters continuous learning and development, she described it as an ongoing and transformative journey, as there is a training session almost on a weekly basis at APM Terminals Apapa.
She said employees have access to a diverse range of learning resources ranging from various training programs, which may be internal or external, formal or informal, to a vast global e-learning resource within the Maersk group. She also said the terminal’s trainings comprise soft skills training, leadership abilities to skills development to help employees build technical skills, industry knowledge, regulatory compliance, safety and many more.
Olatunbosun also mentioned that for new joiners, training usually commences immediately as a part of their onboarding journey.
“At APM Terminals Apapa, we are continuously upskilling and reskilling our employees to deliver services that fulfil the global APM Terminal’s goal of being the world’s best terminal company for all stakeholders. We are equally equipping them to ensure they remain relevant and capable to compete with their colleagues in other terminals around the world,” she said.
Terminal Manager Steen Knudsen said: “Ensuring that your employees remain updated with the relevant skills and latest development in their various fields is a huge task. Our operations run at all hours daily. Managing a training calendar annually also means having to constantly pull employees out from their daily tasks so they can be available for any scheduled training.”
He added that the goal of investing heavily in the development of employees, is to ensure the terminal can continue to deliver value to its customers and the host community it lives in.
“We do not restrict learning and development opportunities to only our employees. Some of our contractors also benefit from these development programs especially as regards to their skills. Our external stakeholders are not left out. Members of staff of the Nigeria Ports Authority have participated in some of these training programs, focusing on giving good foundational knowledge of container terminal operations.
“Learning and development in Apapa is a mix of virtual and onsite trainings, some of which involve collaboration with colleagues in other APM Terminals around the world. We will continue to invest in developing and upskilling our organisation to be ready for tomorrow’s challenges,” Knudsen said.