New route to aquaculture careers
GRADUATES seeking a career in aquaculture now have a direct route into the sector, with the launch of a new collaboration between the Scottish Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) and the industry in Scotland.
Open to students of all disciplines, the SAIC graduate programme offers recent and soon-to-be graduates the opportunity of an 18-month paid internship within a Scottish aquaculture business.
There, they can learn about the full value chain from egg to plate, equip themselves with the commercial awareness that today’s employers are looking for and make potentially invaluable connections within the sector.
Running alongside the industry placements will be a bespoke development programme to help graduates cultivate the skills that can be so critical to a successful business career: from time management, organisational and communication skills, to leadership and networking.
SAIC CEO Heather Jones said: ‘This is another key initiative that has been created for industry, in partnership with industry, to help ensure that the Scottish aquaculture sector has access to the skills it needs in order to deliver its 2030 growth ambitions.
‘It gives employers direct access to the best of the talent pool and, equally, gives graduates a direct route into a career in aquaculture.’
The programme was officially launched in June with an information workshop at the University of Stirling, where attendees were able to hear presentations from participating companies including BioMar, Gael Force, Loch Duart, Marine Harvest Scotland and Scottish Sea Farms.
Cori Critchlow-Watton, aquaculture innovation manager and skills ambassador at SAIC, said: ‘The level of enthusiasm for careers in aquaculture was tangible, both among the participating companies who presented on a diverse range of roles, and the graduates and students attending.
‘One attendee had flown in especially from Madrid, which - tion that exists among today’s graduates.’