Hundreds of Lochaber pupils sample careers in the Scottish salmon sector

The careers event at Lochaber High School on Wednesday 2 October 2024 allowed local secondary school pupils to meet aquaculture professionals, learn about farm-raised salmon, and explore career options.

Scottish salmon directly supports 1,000 jobs in the north-west Highlands, with many more in the supply chain, generating £224million a year for the local economy.

The event was part of an ongoing series designed to highlight employment opportunities in the expanding sector.

Local employers Bakkafrost Scotland, Scottish Sea Farms, AKVA and Gael Force took part in the event, organised by Salmon Scotland, Mowi Scotland, and Developing the Young Workforce West Highland.

They showcased a range of well-paid and skilled job roles, including technicians, farm assistants, skippers, processors, and business support positions in finance and IT.

The popular Mowi Scotland salmon wagon treated pupils to a delicious free lunch, offering a choice between a Scottish salmon fillet in a bun or a salmon noodle salad, and in the process raised a massive £900 for Lochaber High School – the equivalent purchase value of meals served.

A tanker from local logistics company Ferguson Transport was parked on the school grounds, highlighting the type of vehicles used to transport fish to and from farms.

Other interactive activities included a live feed to a farm giving the students the opportunity to see how feeding can be carried out remotely and the game ‘I am MOWI,’ which guides students through their interests to suggest a career path in aquaculture.

Angus Riddle, an S3 pupil at Lochaber High School said:

"It was really cool to see all the stands and job options. The food was banging too! Thank you all for the day."

Fergus Strachan, an S2 pupil at Lochaber High School said:

"I really enjoyed the event today, I liked the fish dissection, the engineering stalls, the lorry outside, but the best bit was definitely eating at the Salmon Wagon!"

Scott Steele, headteacher at Lochaber High School said:

"The aquaculture event was a fun, fast-paced day filled with valuable insights into this growing sector, which has a significant economic role to play in the Highland region, offering a diverse range of career opportunities.

“With more job openings than potential candidates, the sector provides excellent prospects for promotion and competitive salaries.

“It's an exciting industry that not only supports our local economy but also helps retain young talent in the area, ensuring a worthwhile future for our community.

“Our pupils were definitely excited about their prospects."

Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said:

“The farm-raised Scottish salmon sector is the engine of the Highlands and islands economy offering well-paid, year-round jobs to complement other, more seasonal, sectors.

“The careers day at Lochaber High School offered a smorgasbord of careers available in the Scottish salmon sector locally, and aligns to the school’s skills for learning strategy.

“We are grateful to the headteacher and staff Lochaber High School for hosting and all the young people who took part. We hope we have given the pupils food for thought about a career in Salmon farming and hope to welcome some of these young people into our companies in the future.”

Sarah Ralston, HR manager at Mowi Scotland, added:

“The aquaculture day in collaboration with Salmon Scotland and DYW at Lochaber High School was a great success.

“The purpose of the event was to immerse the pupils in interactive activities showcasing the variety of careers available in the industry whilst linking back to the school’s Skills Framework and showing how these skills are applied on a daily basis in the workplace.

“We would think to thank Lochaber High School for hosting the event and hope that it is the first of many!”

Jennifer Grant, programme manager at DYW West Highland, said:

“The event has been a great success. We've been happy to hear positive feedback coming from pupils, teachers and exhibiting companies throughout the event.

"Most popular with the audience today has been the pace of the speed networking, it's a fantastic way to illustrate the variety of roles and career pathways available in aquaculture and the supply chain industries.

"With the employers in this room, the young people have been able to ask questions regarding over 100 different jobs and roles from the 15 companies here with us today.

"At DYW West Highland we're keen that today is not a one-off event or the end of the story. The blue economy is a big part of the business landscape here, so it's important we continue to highlight these opportunities and employers to the young people in our communities.”