The sky is the limit through the Maersk Academy

Much can be achieved at a young age. This is proven by our Senior M&A Consultant Nick Bressington, who has worked his way up the organisational ladder at Maersk during his early twenties, while managing to pilot aircrafts and nourish hobbies in his spare time. Having gained a variety of knowledge and experience, we asked Nick about his journey at Maersk.

Why did you choose to join the Maersk Academy?

From a very young age my ambition was to attain a commercial pilot license and become an airline pilot however, this never really came to fruition, so my next goal was to pursue a career in Project Management. I had never been set on University and I liked the idea of being paid to gain qualifications instead, while networking in a global organisation and working towards a full-time job upon completion of the apprenticeship. The Maersk Academy advert came up and it was exactly what I was looking for. I was invited to several interviews before being offered the job by Rebecca (Apprenticeship Manager), and I have been here ever since.

Has your experience been what you imagined?

My experience has certainly not been what I imagined it to be. I was surprised at the amount of responsibility I was given at such an early stage, but it was a great opportunity to learn in a supportive team. I started off on Divestment projects (selling off the Maersk Oil and Gas division and some of our APMT sites) and then moved onto the Acquisition of HSUD, and this is where I gained a real interest in Mergers and Acquisitions. I then began delivering run efficiency projects with sites in Africa along with infrastructure upgrade projects at Terminals. Upon completion of those projects, I came into Mergers and Acquisitions, working on the acquisition of several companies to strengthen our end-to-end logistics offering and help expand our E-commerce solutions, you can really see how you are adding value to such a large global company. Other than passing my apprenticeship during a global pandemic, I would say my highlight has been the opportunity to travel to some fascinating places with some great people.

You have had a number of roles at Maersk, what has been the most surprising learning?

It’s extremely hard to list everything I have learnt in these 4 years because I have simply learnt so much! However, I would certainly say that networking has proven vital to help accelerate my career, building relationships with people in different parts of the business and with companies all around the world has opened many doors and provided opportunities I didn’t know existed. I have also learnt to celebrate my successes’ more often. Working in an organisation of this size - change is obviously inevitable but can also be an opportunity to change paths and experience different avenues.

How would you describe the work life balance for a young person, and have you been able to invest time in your other pursuits/interests?

The work life balance working for Maersk is good. Mergers and Acquisitions especially is very demanding, and you can find yourself working long days/late nights/weekends, like many other areas I’m sure, but it’s supported that you make that time back whenever possible. I am certainly able to invest time in my hobbies, especially playing football, golf and flying light aircrafts. I am grateful to work for a company that promote a positive work-life balance to allow me to do this. I play Semi Professional football for a team local to me, and I fly Light Aircrafts (Cessna 152) from a Local Airfield, I am proud to say that I have flown solo multiple times since my first flight in 2017 (pictured)

What advice would you give to someone considering an apprenticeship to kick-start their career?

I would say to come into such a fantastic opportunity with an open mind and absorb as much knowledge from as many people as you can. I would also say to be patient, trust the process and always be willing to try different opportunities, you might end up finding a passion for something you never knew existed!

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