Young people from Kinlochbervie joined those at Ullapool High School to meet leading employers, training providers and researchers from across the sector.
The careers day on Wednesday, September 10, is part of an ongoing programme giving young people a closer look at how Scotland’s salmon farms operate and the variety of roles available.
Salmon farming offers more than 100 roles, from freshwater and seawater operations to fish health, environmental regulation, sales and marketing, logistics, finance, IT and human resources.
Around 12,500 people across Scotland depend on the sector, including 565 directly employed in the Highlands, where local farms are at the heart of their communities.The event was organised by trade body Salmon Scotland in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) West Highland. Salmon Scotland members taking part included Mowi Scotland, Wester Ross Fisheries, Inverlussa Marine Services, Pharmaq, MoRov and Underwater Contracting.
Higher education and research organisations also joined, including the University of the Highlands and Islands, the Roslin Institute and Fish For Health.
The careers day gave pupils a chance to see how subjects like engineering, biology, sustainability, health and nutrition come to life in real jobs.
It also highlighted Scotland’s growing blue economy and the role young people can play in supporting healthy seas and producing sustainable food, a priority for the Scottish Government.
Inverlussa and MoRov set engineering challenges, while Pharmaq and Underwater Contracting ran fish health activities, including case studies and robotic arm trials.
The day also included tastings of hot and cold smoked salmon.
Salmon farming is recruiting at all levels, from school-leavers and graduates to people already in the sector or moving from industries like oil and gas, to meet growing demand for Scottish salmon.
More careers events are planned across salmon farming regions, from Argyll and Bute to Shetland, to help young people find local job opportunities and build positive futures after school.
Dr Lee Coutts, headteacher of Ullapool High School, said:
“We were delighted to welcome Salmon Scotland and its members to Ullapool High School for this hands-on careers event, hosted in partnership with Developing the Young Workforce.
“It was a fantastic opportunity for our pupils to explore the wide range of skills and careers available in the aquaculture sector, and to see first-hand how this important Scottish industry operates.”
Alison Baxter, operations manager at DYW West Highland, said:
“This event, organised in collaboration with Salmon Scotland, has been a fantastic opportunity for young people to explore the diverse career pathways in aquaculture.
“Career events like this are essential for inspiring the next generation and strengthens the links between schools, employers and communities across Scotland.”
Connie Pattillo, head of operations at Wester Ross Fisheries , said:
“The aquaculture careers event has been a fantastic way for Wester Ross and our colleges in aquaculture to demonstrate to students at our local high school the variety of potential career opportunities there are within the industry and here locally within Ullapool.
“We love to see students engaging with the industry, and it has been great to be able to answer their questions and discuss aquaculture.
“I hope that the students at Ullapool, Kinlochbervie and Gairloch High schools have gone away knowing that there is a variety of career opportunities in the aquaculture industry.”
Kate Archer, operations and communications co-ordinator at Underwater Contracting, said:
“Aquaculture is one of Scotland’s most exciting and fast-growing industries, offering careers that combine technology, science, sustainability and innovation. “It’s a sector that not only produces world-class seafood but also drives advances in robotics, biology and engineering, creating opportunities far beyond traditional farming.
“We need inquisitive, creative minds, young people ready to problem-solve, adapt and take ownership of their ideas and work.
“Events like this are essential for showcasing the breadth of opportunities available and for highlighting how the creativity, skills and enthusiasm of the next generation will shape the future of aquaculture.”
Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said:
“The Scottish salmon sector is a major part of the Highlands and islands economy, offering well-paid, year-round jobs alongside other local sectors.
“Careers days like this give young people a hands-on look at the range of opportunities available locally in salmon farming.
“We are grateful to the headteacher and staff at Ullapool High School and all the pupils who took part.
“We hope the event has given them food for thought about careers in salmon farming and that some may join our companies in the future.”