Skills Boost for Cornwall & Devon Fishing Industry

The fish and shellfish apprenticeship programme is aimed at processing and retail businesses in the region and will provide opportunities for the smallest fishmonger to the largest processor in the region. Support is even available for national supermarket chains that trade in the region.

Chris Shepherd of Duchy College said: "As part of the Cornwall College Group, Duchy has access to substantial funding support for apprenticeships throughout the region and we consider ourselves experts in the delivery of a range of apprenticeship frameworks. However, we're not experts in fish and shellfish which is why we intend to collaborate with Seafood Cornwall Training. The apprenticeship framework was only launched this year and we are one of the first regions in the UK to offer the framework region-wide in this way."

Sarah Crosbie of Seafood Cornwall Training is confident that the new collaboration will provide a valuable additional service to the seafood industry in the South West. "We already have some employers who have expressed an interest in this new apprentice framework and we would like to hear from more employers looking to train and develop new and existing staff."

The fish and shellfish apprenticeship is suitable for operatives and team leaders in the onshore sectors of the seafood industry. Higher level qualifications and training programmes are also available from Duchy College.

This new initiative will be launched on Wednesday 14 March 2012 with a workshop and open day at Duchy College in Stoke Climsland for employers and prospective apprentices alike.