Date posted - 31 Mar 2011
Here in Aberdovey we’ve just had a short but intense, action-packed course with The Bristol Port Company. Our brief was to put 21 candidates through a challenging programme that allowed Bristol Port staff to observe and assess the skills, qualities and characteristics of each participant and see if they would be suitable for an apprenticeship role. The Bristol Port Company wanted every candidate to experience a positive Outward Bound® course so they could develop and practise a host of skills that would be valuable to them in the future.
To earn their place on the course, the 21 candidates had been whittled down from 80 after attending an open day at Bristol Port and passing a tough interview. Their number would be reduced again based upon their performance during this course. Two groups, Portbury and Avonmouth, arrived at Aberdovey and were straight into Jog and Dip. A good test of who was willing to take to cold water temperatures, but also of who was willing to dive head-first into a completely new challenge and environment. I was pleased to see that all the candidates got involved 100% and made every effort to get to know each another. They were completely engaged in the course as a learning process. The scene was well and truly set for what promised to be an excellent course.
On return to the centre the candidates quickly worked through two or three small team tasks, successfully laying the foundations on which they would build two very solid and reliable teams. Lunch followed and it was great to see the conversations becoming more familiar as the candidates made friends and put their nerves and fears to the back of their minds. They didn’t yet know it, but this lunch break would be their last bit of real downtime until 5pm the next day...
During the dynamics and short theory sessions The Bristol Port Company staff and Trust instructors saw the candidates enhance their learning and leadership skills as well as their social and communication skills. We were keen to reaffirm that the team tasks were not tests, but chances for the candidates to develop and to shine. Just when they thought they were getting a break, we issued them with the brief for a tough project called “Cabins Break-In”. This was a chance to show their ability to interpret and act on information using initiative. It was also a great chance to challenge their organisation and communication skills to split into smaller areas of responsibility. The Bristol Port Company is a tough company to work for and successful applicants will have to work long hours in tough conditions. Being able to carry on and work diligently and responsibly is vital. Candidates’ true colours were now coming out and we were seeing the candidate’s real personalities.
Navigation in biting winds and driving rain the next day was difficult, but I was really impressed to see a team who had only met the day before function so well. Upon finishing the mountain walk aspect of the course, a minibus whisked us to the Wharf, to carry on the intensity of the programme. In the Bristol Port environment it’s not unusual to suddenly need to take half a team away from one job and throw them at another task, and so after briefing and starting the candidates on a task, without warning we took five candidates from each team and swapped them. This gave us the chance to assess their ability to be flexible, to integrate with new people, and to bring their new team mates up to speed with their task.
The next day we moved back to the wharf to continue testing the leadership abilities of the candidates, and their ability to become a valued member of the team. Pole levitation is an intricate task which can be very difficult without a strong leader. However, one of the candidates stepped forward and fulfilled this role brilliantly, leading to a quick and very accomplished performance. The final challenge was an affair of guts, determination and ability to grit-teeth and get on with the job: a simple cutter row competition firstly with the tide and then against the tide over a set course, with the teams finishing only a few seconds apart.
All in all, we tested the candidates on everything Bristol Port Company wanted to see. And although some participants will go on to careers with The Bristol Port Company and some won’t, each candidate proved to themselves they have the potential to reach their goals, if they are willing to work for it!
