The Port of Southampton welcomed two new full-time members of staff this month.

Apprentices Joe Atkinson and David Skinner have been offered permanent positions in the welding and fabrication team and electrical team respectively.

David, 23, from Netley Abbey, first got a taste of port life during a three-week work experience placement. He then secured an apprenticeship in electrical maintenance at the docks through City College Southampton.

Having completed his apprenticeship, David has been promoted to a permanent role and will join the team of ten electricians. His role is to help maintain the electrics throughout the port estate, from the cranes to the cruise terminals and respond to any breakdowns or emergencies that may occur.

David often works on the air bridges, which act as the passenger boarding routes on and off cruise ships. This year will see him working on the gangways for P&O’s Britannia and Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas, Southampton’s two new callers.

David said: “I’m really glad to be a permanent part of the team that I have worked alongside for nearly five years. I hope one day to progress to a supervisory role.”

Joe, who is now a full-time welder and fabricator, was an apprentice at the port for over three years, having studied engineering at South Downs College.

Usually based in the welding and fabrication workshop, Joe’s day-to-day responsibilities include maintaining the air bridges and passenger gangways, working on plant machinery and helping to fix any emergency breakdowns. He will work alongside a team of two other welders and foreman, Colin Kneller.

Joe said: “I completed my Higher National Certificate (HNC) at the port and I’m really proud to have been offered a full-time position.

“I would like to work my way up through the ranks and am hoping to start my Higher National Diploma (HND) qualification later this year.”