Campbeltown’s young people are to benefit from a “game-changing” commitment from aquaculture firm Mowi, which is collaborating with Kintyre Seasports to launch an ambitious new training programme for maritime careers.

The new Kintyre Seafarers scheme, which aims to directly address the industry’s acute skills shortage, will build on the already successful sailing and powerboat training delivered by Kintyre Seasports in partnership with Campbeltown Grammar School (CGS).

Since 2022, 120 CGS pupils have been introduced to sailing, with 60 earning internationally recognised Royal Yachting Association (RYA) qualifications, and six able to qualify as dinghy instructors as early as May next year.

This new partnership will significantly scale up the project’s ambition and give young job-seekers a step up into a career in aquaculture.

Mowi’s commitment is substantial, including the donation of a fast coded workboat — a high-speed commercial vessel certified under specific safety regulations.

The company will also become a customer for Kintyre Seasports’ training services and assist with business development via its industry network.

Campbell Fox, chairman of Kintyre Seasports, said: “This is a truly game-changing commitment by Mowi for our project and the community. With new commercial coding regulations coming in next year, the cost of a new vessel would have been prohibitive. Mowi’s exceptionally generous offer gives us a huge boost and greatly helps to develop our existing education, employability and community support programmes. In particular, it will open doors for young people without academic qualifications in an industry with a crying need for qualified seafarers.”

The partnership directly tackles the need for skilled seafarers in the fast-growing aquaculture sector.

Dougie Hunter, Mowi Scotland technical director, said the company is “very impressed” with the Kintyre Seafarers concept. “It is an excellent fit with our existing presence in the Campbeltown area and our local development plans for Sanda Island, which, should permissions be granted, will create a further 14 new jobs, including apprentice positions,” he said. “With this vessel in place, Mowi will use Kintyre Seasports as its training provider for any of the maritime skills which could be provided locally in Campbeltown, but especially the RYA Advanced Powerboat course. We will also encourage other local aquaculture and supply companies to utilise the Kintyre Seafarers programme.”

Kirsty Donnelly, head teacher at CGS, has welcomed the collaboration, which she believes could see many young people building skills and qualifications they could not otherwise achieve. “This growing partnership and the commitment from Mowi will enable us to plan new curriculum developments to match aquaculture career opportunities,” she said. “We look forward to welcoming university links and workplace collaboration with Mowi’s support in presenting opportunities for young people to progress on to the world of work.”

In a welcome bonus, the new vessel — named `Bradan Luath’, meaning `Fast Salmon’ in Gaelic — will also be equipped to facilitate marine environmental studies planned by Kintyre Seasports, in partnership with the Scottish Association of Marine Sciences (SAMS). Mr Hunter confirmed that Mowi can also contribute in-kind support through the company’s professional environmental team members.

Mr Fox said: “The new partnership with Mowi is a wonderful fit with the link between CGS and the SAMS Schools Outreach Programme. Now we can look forward to extending the programme in more ways than we thought feasible when the pilot environmental study was scoped.”

Jenni Minto MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health and a strong supporter of the project, said: “In my time as Argyll and Bute’s MSP, I have been continually impressed by Kintyre Seasports in all they do to build relationships in their community and with businesses to promote maritime activity. This is such an exciting opportunity and working with Mowi could be a real standout community partnership.”

The Kintyre Seafarers programme grew out of informal discussions involving the local Harbour Authority, which has consistently backed the wider project, and Professor George Fleming, chairperson of the John Mather Trust, which has been a major funding contributor to Kintyre Seasports. Having believed in the project’s potential from the very start, Professor Fleming and the John Mather trustees are delighted with the new Mowi partnership. “The John Mather Trust congratulates Kintyre Seasports on this latest news of industry support for
the project,” said Professor Fleming. “The trust continues to fully support the initiative to create a seafaring future for the youth of Campbeltown and beyond.”