News / Boom time for NAFC
THE NAFC Marine Centre is enjoying its busiest time since opening in the mid 1990s, with demand for its wide range of courses from the fishing, aquaculture and shipping industries at record levels.
More students are being taught more courses than at any time since the Scalloway-based college opened 22 years ago.
Meanwhile, 51 secondary school pupils from around the islands are regularly attending the centre for engineering and maritime skills courses as part of their studies.
NAFC head of training and skills Andy Glen said: “We are bursting at the seams, in the nicest possible way. The place is buzzing with students and staff. Some days, frankly, it is difficult to get a space in the car park.
“Apart from the ongoing issue of funding, the biggest problem we have at the moment is meeting the demand for places and everyone is hard at work trying to do just that.”
The centre, which opened in 1994 and is now part of the University of the Highlands and Islands network, employs over 40 people and provides a huge range of services to the maritime industries, including research and development and consultancy and advisory support.
Including school pupils, more than 150 students from those starting out on their careers to those returning for further training currently attend the centre.
A record nine young fishermen recently began their Class 2 ticket course, which lasts for three months and entitles those who pass to skipper fishing vessels of up to 30 metres and to serve as mate on board larger boats.
Groups of pelagic fishermen are also embarking on an ECDIS (electronic chart display and information system) course that allows them to navigate electronically rather than using paper charts.
The centre is also close to its full complement of deck and engineering cadets, while a range of new aquaculture courses are being be rolled out this year.
They include fish farm containment (93 students already certificated), fish health (41 students certificated), water quality awareness (40 certificated and 40 more enrolled), advanced fish health (to begin in June) and biosecurity (to begin in May).
NAFC head of short courses Mark Fullerton said: “We are the busiest we have ever been, not only in terms of numbers of students but in the range of courses that we are doing.”
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