Scottish seafood industry to benefit from £100k training fund

20-Dec-2021 - Last updated on 20-Dec-2021 at 14:04 GMT

Seafood Scotland has launched a new training scheme for seafood processors in Scotland

Scottish seafood businesses are set to benefit from a £100,000 scheme to help upskill and train employees to support industry growth.

Launched today (December 20) by Seafood Scotland – with funding from the National Transition Training Fund and Skills Development Scotland (SDS)– the ‘Business Improvement Programme’ will provide bespoke training packages to companies catered to their needs.

More than 60 courses are on offer that cover four key training areas:

Upskilling and multiskilling staff - training for employees and teams
Career recruitment and retention toolkits for businesses – helping to develop recruitment and retention policies
Process automation and business implications
Women in Seafood in Scotland

Existing staff

The programme will be delivered to current staff members over the age of 25 using flexible and hybrid methods, such as self-taught online modules and guided virtual sessions.

Courses range from fish frying, knife skills and monger training to customer and human resource services, as well as guidance on business planning and strategy.

Commenting on the programme’s launch, Seafood Scotland chief executive Donna Fordyce said: “It’s important that the businesses in our onshore seafood sector continue to grow and this funding can help them do just that.

“With the support received from the National Transition Training Fund and Skills Development Scotland, we will help companies plan their training opportunities and the courses available to them in line with their business objectives.”

March 2022

The window for the funding is open until March 2022 and is available to Scottish onshore seafood businesses looking for support to train and upskill their teams.

Gerry McBride, strategic relations manager for food and drink at SDS added: “Given all the challenges the sector has been forced to face into over the past two years due to the pandemic and other huge obstacles, everyone recognises the need for businesses to be as agile as possible.

“The programme will enable businesses to retrain, upskill and adapt their workforce to meet the ever-changing requirements of the marketplace and the economic landscape. We’re really looking forward to seeing all this excellent work coming to fruition.”

Meanwhile, drinks manufacturer Britvic has filled 30 roles as part of the Government’s youth unemployment scheme, Kickstart.