You’re hired! Apprentices show fish farming’s key role in West Highland
The significant role played by salmon farming in providing employment and sustaining the economy in north west Scotland is made clear in a series of videos to encourage young people to become apprentices.
Developing the Young Workforce West Highland has released five videos showcasing apprenticeship programmes, and three of the companies are involved in the aquaculture industry.
One video features an electrical engineering apprentice with Scotland’s biggest salmon farmer, Mowi, while another focuses on apprentices with Ferguson Transport and Shipping, which gets much of its trade from salmon farming.
Steel feed barges
A third video is about Corpach Boatbuilding Company, recently bought by Inverness-based aquaculture supplier Gael Force Group to build steel feed barges and last week re-named Gael Force Boatbuilding.
The two other videos feature Lovat Hotel Loch Ness and BSW Timber.
In the Mowi video, made when the company was still known as Marine Harvest, electrical engineering apprentice Emily Connolly tells viewers: “I’m just going into my second year of my apprenticeship. I work everywhere from Campbeltown to Skye and everywhere in between.
“I saw the job advertised and I thought I fitted what they were looking for. I really enjoyed science and I had an interest in electrical work.”
Learning every day
Emily has just completed her powerboat training. “It was something I never really thought I’d be able to do,” she says. “It was really good. They put you through tons of different courses.
“The qualifications I needed [for the apprenticeship] were a National 5 in science and a National 5 in maths.
“It’s so interesting. You learn something new every day.”
“Once I’m fully qualified I’ll have a full-time, well-paid job working in the Highlands,” she adds.
Industry-required
Connolly’s apprenticeship mentor, electrical engineer Donald Mackenzie, is always on hand to check her work and offer advice and instruction.
“Since Emily started working with me it’s been really good, firstly because you’ve got a second pair of hands, but also because you’re passing on the knowledge. Especially in any engineering sector, it’s important to train the next generation,” he explains on the video.
“Training Emily to specifically do the stuff that we do on the sea sites is industry-required, because a lot of the systems that we have on the sea sites are quite specific.
Houses to generators
“Taking an apprentice through [to qualification] not only benefits the company, it will benefit Emily and any other apprentice in the future. Engineering is a great sector to get into for any apprentice. Whether it’s electrical or mechanical, the sectors are huge. We’re doing everything from wiring houses to generators and pumping systems and feed systems, so Emily will have a good diversity [of skills].
“It’s the same with mechanical, they will work on small outboard engines up to big generators as well. It will stand you in good stead for the future if you want to stay in the industry or you want to go in any other industry.”
The video also features Neil MacDonald, farm manager at Loch Lochy freshwater site, which produces six million smolts per year.
“We’re looking to produce 65 to 70,000 tonnes [in 2019)],” says MacDonald. “Bearing all these things in mind, there’s massive opportunities in the multi-skilled workforce that Marine Harvest needs.”
Staying in the area
In the Ferguson video, 19-year-old Robert MacInnes, from Kishorn, says it’s quite hard to find year-round work in the area and that getting a job as an office administrator with the transport firm has allowed him to stay in Kishorn and develop his skills at the same time.
The videos are being released in advance of Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2019, March 4-8, to inspire young people to focus on the ‘earn whilst you learn’ route as a credible ‘Plan A’ career path.
Lesley Benfield, DYW West Highland programme director, said: “Businesses know that apprenticeships give young people the practical skills and qualifications that their business needs and young people are finding they can become valued employees early in their working careers by using the apprenticeship route to qualification.
“Learning whilst earning has become an increasingly attractive alternative to full-time academic study and employers are reporting that taking on apprentices is resulting in growth and increased productivity in their business.”
The videos are available at www.dwywesthighland.org and have all been uploaded to YouTube, where they can be found by searching for DYW West Highland.
DYW West Highland will also be running advertising campaigns through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, as well as arranging with local schools to link the videos to their websites and social media.
