Job Description and Activities
Most ports will have an engineering workshop for the repair and maintenance of operational equipment and vehicles. The Workshop Manager is responsible for all the activity in the workshop, and activities and responsibilities will include the following:
- Managing workshop activity – the Workshop Manager plans, assigns and reviews the work of all mechanics and electricians in the port. They brief the supervisors, who then supervise the work of the mechanics and electricians.
- Managing safety – workshops can be dangerous places in which to work and it is the responsibility of the Workshop Manager to ensure that the workshop is safely maintained, that all working areas are safe and that staff are fully trained to do their job efficiently and safely.
- Managing staff – the Workshop Manager makes recommendations regarding the recruitment, discipline and promotion of employees, authorises leave and overtime, advises employees on work related problems, evaluates and assesses employee performance.
- Liaising with other port workers – the Workshop Manager will co-ordinate the need for maintenance and repair of operational equipment with other port employees at managerial level, for example the port and passenger operations managers.
The Working Environment
Workshop Managers will spend the majority of their time in the workshop, possibly with an office area inside. There may be some time spent on the workshop floor, or out on the quayside inspecting equipment and liaising with other port employees.
Salary
A Workshop Manager can expect to earn somewhere in the region of £30,000 to £45,000, depending on experience, the size of the port and the activities undertaken.
Entry Requirements
Because of the skilled nature of engineering and mechanical work, a Workshop Manager will need a higher level qualification, such as a level 4 or 5 N/SVQ in Engineering Management, or a degree level qualification in Engineering. Experience working as a mechanic, electrician or engineer is also valued.
Career Development
A Workshop Manager would usually progress to port engineer, dependent on the required qualifications. Opportunities also exist outside the industry.