PLOCKTON PUPILS EXPLORE SALMON FARMING CAREERS WITH SEA2ME

Plockton pupils explore salmon farming careers with Sea2Me. A group of Highland secondary pupils will get a first-hand look at the variety of opportunities that the salmon farming sector offers.

It’s part of a programme designed to show them first-hand how salmon is raised and how it helps feed the world from right here on their doorstep. Following a programme designed as a coastal version of Hill-to-Grill, around 45 students from Plockton High School will learn about the salmon lifecycle and the freshwater phase of farming, as well as visit seawater farms on Loch Duich and at Ardintoul.

The pioneering Sea2Me programme will offer them a behind-the-scenes look at the full supply chain, from egg to plate, while highlighting the wide range of roles in the sector, including farm technicians, fish health experts and environmental managers.

The week will culminate in a ‘Masterchef’ meets ‘Dragons Den’-style challenge, where pupils will create their own salmon-based dish with marketing plan lead by Mowi Consumer Products New Product Development team who are based in Rosyth, home to one of the largest salmon processing plants in the UK.

Taking place at the end of April, Sea2Me was developed by Developing the Young Workforce West Highland, in collaboration with trade body Salmon Scotland and global salmon farming leader Mowi. The programme delivery is also supported Kishorn Port Ltd, and Lantra Scotland. The aims of the programme and the organisers are simple. By taking young minds out of the classroom over a number of days and leading them through the businesses and operations available locally, to illustrate the variety of roles which are available now, and will be available here in the future. Hopefully inspiring them to see beyond the roles most visible and experience the value of the Blue Economy to the Highlands and to Scotland as a nation.

Salmon farming employs around 2,500 people across more than 100 different roles, with a further 10,000 jobs directly dependent on the sector. In Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, it contributes £119 million to the local economy, directly employing 440 people and supporting a further 410 local businesses.

The average salary is £36,000, which is above the Scottish national average. The sector is recruiting at all levels, from school leavers to PhDs, with vacancies in roles such as hatchery technicians, skippers, logistics, farming assistants, engineers, veterinarians, environmental managers and fish health experts.

In 2024 Scottish salmon exports broke a new record of £844 million, with France, the USA and China the top destinations from more than 50 countries.

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

“The Sea2Me programme aims to showcase diverse career opportunities within the West Highlands’ environment to students and their influencers. Inspired by DYW West Highland’s Hill-to-Grill, Sea2Me offers experiential learning outside the classroom.

Students will engage with professionals across rural sector companies, gaining practical insights and context for their learning. They will collaborate to deliver a final presentation, including marketing branding and a dish based on a brief. Throughout the programme, students will explore roles in fish farming, logistics, and product development, witnessing the scale of local businesses and enhancing their meta-skills.

“This illustrates the many roles involved in bringing quality nutrition from sea to table. Ultimately, working with our partners and businesses locally, we seek to inspire young people about the wide range of opportunities within our coastal communities, encouraging them to pursue future careers locally, in Scotland, or beyond.”

Sarah Ralston, HR manager at Mowi Scotland, said:

“Mowi have a large presence on Skye and the surrounding areas and we are delighted to be asked to be part of this exciting new project. Sea2Me not only gives the students a better understanding of what career opportunities there are locally. In addition, as the title suggests, it also gives them the chance to see first-hand where their food comes from and the opportunity to create a salmon recipe, create a logo or brand, cook, taste and present to the judging panel. We are excited to see the creativity of the students not to mention sampling their recipes.”

Tavish Scott, chief executive of Salmon Scotland, said:

“The farm-raised Scottish salmon sector is responsible for creating thousands of high-paid, skilled local jobs in the Highlands and islands and right across the country. Sea2Me will help identify salmon farmers of the future to explore career opportunities right here on their doorstep.

“Salmon farming companies are the beating heart of Scotland’s coastal communities. In many places the salmon farm at the end of the road keeps shops and schools open, and helps to support the wider community. There are dozens of different roles in salmon farming and we constantly need young people to join us to help us to meet growing demand for our world-leading product.”