On December 8th Prodock was the location for the second edition of the Port Conference with this year’s theme: “working together on innovation”. Over 100 people attended the conference. Besides port entrepreneurs, the event was also visited by trainers, employment agencies and prominent people like Achmed Baâdoud, district-officer of Amsterdam Nieuw-West, and Nina Tellegen, head of the Amsterdam Economic Board. They discussed the future of the port.
Westport, source of employment
Every year most vacancies in the port area originate from the Westport, that is shown in a research conducted by Tempo-Team in April. The fields that has the most vacancies are software development and analytics. These rise in vacancies occur on both MBO, HBO and WO level.
From globalization to regionalization
Fred Bakker – Author of the book ‘Hier wordt de toekomst gebouwd’ – portrays the development and the return of the manufacturing industry and from globalization to regionalization. In the future more and more products are going to be produced locally. Those projections are in line with the story of Bart Kuipers, Senior Researcher Port Economics at the Erasmus University, about the future of the Port of Amsterdam. According to the vision of 2030 the port region is expected to a dynamic metropolitan port which connect the forces of the core of Amsterdam: world class logistic hub, high class regional industry and the diverse metropolitan service industry.
Come together
The technology in the port is outdated and information / systems are barely shared according to participants of the panel discussion. “We can work smarter together by sharing data and creating a common platform. At this moment we are more on our own”, Said by TMG director Geert-Jan van der Snoek. The need for collaboration between managers, port operators and education is increasing. The continued consultations on how community and employers can shape Collegiate in lending, is a fine example of a first step towards cooperation.
Making the impossible possible together
"The port is not a photograph but a movie as soon as everything changes," concludes Ahmed Baâdoud - Nieuw-West district mayor. "My wish is to bring the center of Amsterdam to the port. I like the cruise terminal to berth here. Here is the space and the workforce Let's make the impossible, possible. Pioneering courage, pioneering interconnection."
Port conference
Port Conference is an initiative of the Municipality of Amsterdam Nieuw-West, Port of Amsterdam, ORAM and Employers Service Greater Amsterdam. The aim of the conference is to encourage dialogue between port operators and strengthen the image of the port.