It’s 25 for 2025 as Scottish Sea Farms sets Ambassador goals
In 2023, we talked to Scottish Sea Farms about the part the Ambassadors play in how they connect with the communities in which they operate.
A year on, we’ve gone back to speak to them about the highlights of 2024.
It’s been a busy year for Talent Development Business Partner Irene Pozo, with over 80 Ambassador activities carried out across the business and nearly 600 volunteer hours logged, but she’s clear on the aim for 2025.
“We really want to have 25 Food & Drink Ambassadors recruited and in place in 2025,” she said.
“We currently have 24 across our bases in Oban, Stirling and the Northern Isles but a few of those still need an induction or their PVG check done so the total number can be a bit fluid.
“However if we do get to the magic number of 25, it will be quite a milestone for us.
“Not only that, we will be able to access much more data on activities which will be incredibly useful. At the moment, I rely on people telling me and with the best will in the world, it’s not that reliable a system,” she smiled.
Irene looks after the Ambassadors programme within Scottish Sea Farms and she always has an eye out for potential recruits.
“Sometimes I don’t like to ask because people are all so busy but they never regret doing it.
Scottish Sea Farms started co-delivering an Into Aquaculture course at Oban High School this year
“The day job can be quite routine at times and by taking part, they get to see it all through a young person’s eyes.
They just love it.”
Irene Pozo, Talent Development Business Partner
Scottish Sea Farms is in the early stages of working with the DYW teams in Orkney and Shetland to be able to deliver work experience placements
Career events are a popular part of the calendar for both sudents and the team
Aquaculture course
Engaging with students is a key part of being an Ambassador, and this year Scottish Sea Farms launched a more formal process to guide young people into the industry.
Following a pilot in 2021 in Mull, this year they are co-delivering an Into Aquaculture course at Oban High School with the University of Highlands and Islands (UHI).
Six S5 & 6 pupils are taking part in the course and Scottish Sea Farms is delivering three of the six units, from which the students can gain an SCQF level 4.
They learn about different fish species alongside salmon, as well as understanding life cycles and factors that can affect them as well as any potential impact of the farms. Through this, they discover more about the whole sector, including the boats, health checks and environmental risk assessments - not just the farms or fish pens that are visible in the landscape.
In addition, the students spend three days on work placement – one for each key part of the salmon lifecycle. They learn in more detail about Scottish Sea Farms’ freshwater hatchery on site at one of nine marine sites in the Sound of Mull, as well as understanding the operations of a processing facility.
This requires some flexibility in arranging from both sides. For previous engagement activities, Ambassadors have been known to take fish into the school and proceed as if they were out on-site, but Irene says it’s worth it.
“Potentially we have six more young people working for us at the end of the course,” she said.
“They can start straight away as we provide training but the students know what they’re doing and they’ve had experience of different parts of the business so they can better identify where they want to work.
“As well as helping with potential recruitment, it helps educate members of the community more widely. Even if the students don’t end up working for us, they will be better informed about aquaculture in general.
“We’d love to do this around all our operational sites and facilities as part of our drive for transparency and to build community awareness and engagement. Educating the community is very important to us.”
Developing the Young Workforce
Another target for 2025 is to become more connected with the individual regional Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) teams who operate close to Scottish Sea Farms sites.
“One of our activities in Oban was hosting a ‘day in the industry’ in collaboration with DYW Argyll & Bute and that was so successful,” said Irene.
“Two Oban High students came into the hatchery to see our new egg fertilisation unit in action. They were incredibly interested and engaged – they were supposed to be there for an hour but they stayed for three. Following that, one of them has arranged to come back in again and is keen to start working in the sector.
“We’re in the early stages with the DYW teams in Orkney and Shetland to be able to deliver work experience placements. It can take some time to get the behind-the-scenes operations in place, with different local authority guidance on things like being allowed on boats.”
Whatever 2025 holds, one thing is clear. Scottish Sea Farms is not resting on its laurels but will be using the Food & Drink Ambassador programme to continue developing close bonds with the communities.
It knows that it is investing not just in the future of local young people but also in its existing workforce and in the long-term health of its business.