NAFC Apprentices are ALBAS Winners
NAFC Marine Centre UHI students were named as winner and runner-up in the Aquaculture category of the 19th Lantra Scotland’s Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills (the ALBAS) last night.
Callum Duggan was named as winner of the Aquaculture Learner of the Year award, as joint winner of the CARAS (Council for Awards of Agricultural Societies) award for distinguished achievement, and as runner up for the overall Modern Apprentice of the Year award. Callum, aged 25 from Kilmun in Argyll & Bute, has completed a Modern Apprenticeship in Aquaculture (SVQ Level 3) with the NAFC Marine Centre UHI while working at Cooke Aquaculture's Ardtaraig hatchery on Loch Striven. He has recently started a Technical Apprenticeship in Aquaculture Management (SVQ Level 4), also with NAFC.
Guy Tindall was named as runner-up for the Aquaculture Learner of the Year award. Guy, from Burra, also completed a Modern Apprenticeship in Aquaculture (SVQ Level 3) with NAFC while working as a marine senior husbandry technician with Grieg Seafood Shetland.
Lantra Scotland is the sector skills council for land-based, aquaculture and environmental conservation industries. The ALBAS celebrate the achievements of Scotland’s talented rural learners and help to highlight the importance of investing in skills for employers. The finalists for ALBAS 2021 were chosen by an independent judging panel made up of influential figures from across the land-based and aquaculture sector, chaired by Keith Paterson of Forestry and Land Scotland.
Stuart Fitzsimmons, NAFC’s section leader for aquaculture training, congratulated the award winners: “These awards reflect the hard work and commitment that Guy and Callum have displayed during their training, especially under the difficult circumstances over the last year.”
The NAFC Marine Centre’s aquaculture apprenticeships provide practical, ‘on-the-job’ training and skills development for aquaculture staff at all levels from new entrants to managers. More than 100 students across Scotland and England are currently enrolled on Aquaculture Apprenticeships with NAFC.
Although the Covid lockdowns have been disruptive, the NAFC Marine Centre has been able to continue supporting its aquaculture apprentices through the use of online learning with support from college staff working largely from home.
Further Information
Callum Duggan talks about his work as a hatchery technician with Cooke Aquaculture Scotland: https://twitter.com/CookeScotland/status/1367402225530793987 (twitter video).
NAFC Aquaculture Apprenticeships: https://www.nafc.uhi.ac.uk/courses/aquaculture-apprenticeships/.
Contact: Stuart Fitzsimmons (stuart.fitzsimmons@uhi.ac.uk).