Scottish youngsters to learn more about jobs in salmon sector

Industry body Salmon Scotland is rolling out a programme to spread the word to young people about career opportunities in aquaculture.

Salmon Scotland member companies will be visiting career fairs and staging several bespoke Scottish salmon-specific events for school pupils in farming areas between now and summer.

The sector will also be represented at events designed to help college leavers find full-time, well-paid employment following their studies.

Salmon Scotland estimates that salmon farming directly employs more than 2,500 people in fragile, coastal communities in rural Scotland, with a further 10,000 Scottish jobs dependent on the sector.

The initiative gets under way this week with Dunoon Grammar School pupils at a careers fair today offered the opportunity to meet those working in aquaculture and discover the career options open to them.

The event includes an introduction to farm-raised Scottish salmon and the chance to wear some of the equipment used by local salmon farmers.

Other interactive activities include a microscope with a plankton sample and a laptop with live footage of salmon farms.

Local employers Bakkafrost Scotland, Hendrix Genetics, and Otter Ferry Seafood will join other companies at Tuesday career fair, which has been organised by Developing the Young Workforce Argyll and Bute.

Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said: “The farm-raised Scottish salmon sector is responsible for creating thousands of high-paid, skilled and rewarding jobs right across the country.

“We want to help the next generation of young people with their futures and talk to them about careers in salmon farming.

“There are a huge number of different roles in aquaculture and we need young people, especially women, to join us in looking after our world-leading salmon as we feed not only Scotland but the wider world.”

Tavish Scott, Chief Executive, Salmon Scotland