Scottish seafood processors start new recruitment drive

Seafish and the Scottish Seafood Association have launched a campaign to fill vacant positions in Scotland’s seafood-processing sector.

According to Scottish Seafood Association CEO Jimmy Buchan, a number of seafood businesses are having to turn down contracts as the demand is superseding their ability to produce. And that crunch is expected to get worse in the run-up to the Christmas and New Year holiday season, he said.

“We need people to come and help us put this amazing seafood on tables all over the world. We’re a busy industry and we’re about to experience an even busier period in the run up to Christmas, so it’s essential we find the right candidates for the roles,” Buchan said.

The campaign is designed to show the wealth of opportunities available in the sector, Buchan said. The “Sea A Bright Future” drive will run across radio and digital channels throughout November, and will include a four-week YouTube campaign. 

“We know the seafood-processing sector is not the only sector struggling with recruitment at the moment, but the diversity of jobs, coupled with opportunities to further your career, will allow focussed individuals to reach new and promising ambitions. This campaign seeks to shine a light on that and to encourage people to consider a role in the seafood-processing sector, particularly young people leaving school or those looking for a mid-career move, such as returning to work after having children. There are a wealth of jobs and a lack of candidates, particularly for entry-level factory processing roles,” he said. “While many people will start at entry level, there are lots of opportunities for those that have the drive to progress into other roles. However, there are some who are quite happy to stay at entry level and this is welcome too.”

Photo courtesy of Scottish Seafood Association