Exams aren’t everything, demonstrates fish farmer
Staff at Marine Harvest Scotland’s headquarters in Fort William are playing their part in showing young people that there is “no wrong path” when it comes to careers.
The salmon farming company workers were among those from several companies in the West Highlands who posed for pictures with signs indicating what their job was when they left school, and what it is now.
The aim of the No Wrong Path initiative, run by the Scottish Government’s Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) project, is to promote the message to school pupils that no matter the outcome of their exam results – which came out yesterday - there are still lots of options to help them move forward in their future careers.
Honesty, punctuality, teamwork
Photos of Marine Harvest staff are displayed with those from BSW Timber, West Highland College and others on the DYW West Highland website, which reminds those who might be disappointed with their exam results that while grades are important for employers, so are other things like honesty, punctuality, working as part of a team, being safe in the workplace and getting tasks done, on time.
DYW adds: “Many successful people did not take a straight, obvious or traditional path to get to where they are today. Wouldn’t it be boring – if everyone was the same, anyway?”
One example of someone who took a less-obvious path is Marine Harvest’s seawater manager, David MacGillivray, who started his working life as a milkman.
His photo is included on the site, along with those of MH Scotland’s managing director and chief operating officer Ben Hadfield, who started his career as a field scientist.
Piper for dancers
Also included are MH Scotland management accountants Dave Forbes (started his career as a fish processor) and Eilidh Gray (shop assistant), accounts assistant Susan MacMaster (waitress) and farming financial controller Fiona Fotheringham (piper for Highland dancers).
The company, which employs around 1,200 people on Scotland, is also taking the chance to promote itself by including a list of the many different jobs it offers.
On its Facebook site, Marine Harvest said yesterday: “Good luck to all of the students in Lochaber today from all at Marine Harvest and remember we have lots of job opportunities and careers to pick from both here in Lochaber and across other areas, even global!”
