Bakkafrost Scotland
Could your business help deliver world-leading STEM education, and in turn benefit from inspiring young people and building a pipeline of talent in the food & drink industry?
Bakkafrost Scotland has done just that, offering their team’s time and enthusiasm to help bring STEM subjects to life and promote STEM careers.
As the leading producer of the finest quality Scottish salmon, they operate over 60 sites across the west coast of Scotland and the Hebrides.
They have 10 STEM Food and Drink Ambassadors in their business, mainly drawn from operations, who visit around a dozen schools every year. Head of HR Lisa Connell explains why they take part.
“We are proud to offer a variety of careers in some of the most rural parts of Scotland, and we love engaging with local communities to help them understand what we do and to inspire the next generation,” she said.
“By interacting with young people across remote and island communities, we can highlight the rewarding opportunities available by pursuing a career in their local area and still being able to do something they love.
“We engage with all ages of children and young adults from pre-school through primary and into secondary and have a wide range of interactive activities to bring aquaculture to life.
“We can highlight the opportunities available in pursuing a career in their home region and still being able to do something they love.”
“You’re not just feeding fish: you’re a mathematician, you’re a scientist, you’re a vet.”
“Our technology means that we’ve been able to have pupils live-feeding the fish in Loch Fyne from their games hall.
“We even took a small power boat along to Lochgilphead joint campus once and the kids had a great time having a look around learning about all the safety features onboard. We did need a tractor to transport it and a ladder for the pupils to climb aboard, which definitely called for a thorough risk assessment!
“We try to encourage ‘lightbulb moments’ to help the pupils relate the school subjects they’re learning to a particular job in aquaculture.
“So if they’re interested in biology, they could be a marine biologist or vet supporting the health and welfare of our salmon. Or maybe they like geography and are concerned about the environment, so they might enjoy a career with our site development teams where they act as custodians of the environment.”
One of Bakkafrost’s STEM Ambassadors is Freshwater Site Manager Dave Stewart, currently based in Lewis, and who has been going into classrooms for over 20 years.
“Students find the range of careers available genuinely surprising,” he said.
“You’re not just feeding fish: you’re a mathematician, you’re a scientist, you’re a vet. You can be so many things.
“I love informing and inspiring young people and we need the next generation of fish farmers to come into the industry so it’s a great opportunity to spread the word.”
The resources are tailored to the specific educational stage, as well as the company so the only limit is the imagination.
Dave has produced Sally the Salmon, a book that charts the life cycle of the fish told in the style of the Gruffalo. He also often takes a tank with salmon eggs for the pupils to look after. Even activities such as younger children putting on lifejackets give a flavour of what the work environment can be like.
For secondary schools, it’s more about career choices.
“When we’re invited into schools, I emphasise that a young person can go up through the ranks really quickly,” said Dave.
“There is plenty of opportunity to progress and the training is first class. I also point out that if you learn the basics for a career in fish farming, it’s the same all over the world so you can take those skills around the globe with you.”
Lisa oversees Bakkafrost’s participation in the STEM Food and Drink Ambassador programme and says that potential recruits just have to be someone that loves their job.
“We look for passion and enthusiasm in our Ambassadors. But they don’t necessarily have to be the best communicator because we can offer different types of activities to suit their skills.
“I know one of our biologists went into the school with a microscope and got the pupils studying tissues and cells in one of the activities. They tell me that, like the rings in a tree, you can tell how old a salmon is by counting the rings on a scale. It’s brilliant being able to show them that.”
STEM Ambassadors in Scotland is developing a network of food & drink STEM Ambassadors to inspire the next generation and make food and drink a career destination of choice.
By engaging with the STEM Food and Drink Ambassador programme as an employer, you can make a real difference to young people's perception of STEM subjects and careers while providing professional learning and development opportunities for your staff.
And feedback shows that STEM Ambassadors increase their job satisfaction and knowledge, as well as confidence and communication skills.
Download the case study as a pdf here
Want more tips and advice on how to recruit, retain and develop your workforce?
Check out Feeding Workforce Skills, an online resource that signposts the relevant support for food & drink employers.
