The Scottish Seafood Association (SSA) has underpinned its support for the next generation by joining the Young Person’s Guarantee and signing a collaborative partnership agreement with Peterhead Academy.
The Young Person’s Guarantee is a commitment to bring together employers, partners and young people. It aims to connect every 16 to 24-year-old in Scotland to a job, apprenticeship, further or higher education course, training or volunteering programme. As a Young Person’s Guarantee partner, the SSA will actively raise awareness of the different roles within the seafood industry and encourage its membership network to support these efforts.
Technical Training Manager/SSA MSC Group Scheme Manager at Scottish Seafood Association Jean Meikle said: “It was important for the SSA to join the Young Person’s Guarantee as we can help connect young people to the seafood industry and show them the vast range of career opportunities available in their local communities.”
Earlier this year the SSA initiated a successful Sea to Plate project in partnership with Community Learning & Development to provide young people with hands-on workplace experience to help them visualise career paths in the sector. It is hoped to extend this project to additional pupils as part of a wider series of activities planned with Peterhead Academy, with whom the SSA has recently formed a collaborative partnership.
“As a representative of many seafood processors and seafood industry associated businesses in the Peterhead area - and as a collaborative partner - we hope to promote our industry to pupils in Peterhead Academy,” said Jean. “We aim to increase visibility of the wide range of careers available whilst establishing connectivity between the school curriculum and the world of work. We look forward to continuing our activities with the pupils to help develop positive career pathways."
Margo Milne, director, DYW North East said: “This is a superb commitment from the SSA and a strong example of how the Young Person’s Guarantee can be used by membership organisations to harness support from others in raising awareness of the opportunities and career pathways that exist within a sector, helping shape the future workforce Scotland needs.
“The Young Persons Guarantee also provides a valuable platform for forming school partnerships, such as the one between the SSA and Peterhead Academy, which will help young people to prepare for the world of work and understand and develop the skills they need to succeed.
“Sam Foley, our Employer School Coordinator for Peterhead Academy, is looking forward to continuing to facilitate partnership activities between the school, the SSA and its members.”
