Graduate and early careers

Get ready to
lead the future

Graduate and early careers

Get ready to
lead the future

The UK port industry is the second largest in Europe and Associated British Ports (ABP) is the largest port operator in our country, with 21 ports strategically positioned around Britain.

Our ports include Immingham, the UK’s largest port by tonnage, and Southampton, the UK’s number one port for cars and cruise and the nation’s second largest container port.

Every year, ABP handles around 25% of all UK seaborne trade, that's more than 85 million tonnes of cargo. We have over 2,500 employees and collectively our ports handle around 1.3 million containers, over a million vehicles and around 2.8 million cruise and ferry passengers each year.

In February 2023 ABP set out its Net Zero 2040 commitment and broader environmental focus through our Ready for Tomorrow sustainability strategy. Then in 2024 we launched our twin missions, Keeping Britain Trading and Enabling the Energy Transition, in which, together with our partners, are due to unlock future green investment of £5.5bn+ over the next ten years.

Choose your route
Graduate
Applications open
Oct 2024 – Jan 2025
Are you looking to channel your ambition and drive, post-graduation? Would you like to develop a career in maritime and logistics? If you are flexible on location and prepared to challenge yourself, learn quickly and work hard – our graduate training scheme could be the right fit for you.

Starting in October 2025, our two-year Graduate Training Scheme is designed to give you a 360-degree view of the UK’s leading port operator, providing you with the skills and experience you need to become a future leader.


There’s no better time to join and start to grow your career with us.

We’re looking for talented graduates, wanting to become future leaders in the port industry.

As a future leader, you’ll have excellent people skills with the ability to lead and inspire people at all levels. You’ll be based in our fast-paced hubs and surrounded by various industries, you’ll have the ability to learn quickly, adapt and grow, all while showing resilience and determination.

Your ambition and and passion will drive your career in the port industry.

You’ll already have a degree (min 2:1), be flexible on location, prepared to challenge yourself, think creatively and work hard.
The scheme will be very challenging, offering a unique opportunity to develop a range of key skills such as innovation, project management, health and safety and core leadership throughout the duration of your placement, all with the support of a senior mentor.








About the scheme
Our programmes for 2025 include:

Port Operations
Nationwide

Working within our Operations teams, you’ll be mentored through every stage with placements which might include Stevedores, Cruise, Marine, Container Terminals, Bulk, Retail, Commercial and Business Excellence. To help broaden your knowledge of our business, you’ll also get to work from at least one of our other ports.

Procurement



You will join the central Procurement team where you will be given real responsibility with infrastructure procurement, renewables and port specific equipment such as cranes, forklifts, etc. you will also cover procurement of IT and services contracts such as third party labour.

Property

As part of our Property team, you'll be given real responsibility early on, supporting the management function by working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to achieve organisational targets and maximise rental returns whilst managing property risks. We will train you to understand all elements of ABP's property portfolio and associated activities in accordance with legislative requirements.

HR

Working within our HR team, you'll be given real responsibility early on, working closely with our business leaders on projects across the full range of functions; talent and recruitment, employee relations, reward, learning & development, HR Services & payroll and HR Business Partnering.

Download
Click to download the 2025 Graduate Brochure pdf
Process
The application process

ONE

Application review

TWO

Online testing

THREE

Video interview

FOUR

Assessment centre

FIVE

Start October 2025
Applications open Oct 2024 – Jan 2025

Apply now