Also in the news / Former local trawler capsizes, apprenticeships in renewables and accountancy and more…
A FISHERMAN died when a Scarborough registered whitefish trawler – which used to be owned locally – capsized in the North Sea, 100 miles west of Stavanger.
The Njord SH90, better known locally as the Guardian Angell LK272 and later the Courageous LK470, got into difficulty on Sunday afternoon.
Some of the eight strong crew were airlifted to hospital in Bergen where one of the fishermen rescued later died; others were picked up by an offshore vessel.
The Courageous was sold to new owners last year after her crew took delivery of a new larger trawler.
FOUR young people from Shetland have been meeting with bosses from SSE Renewables and wind turbine developer Vestas to mark Scottish Apprentice Week.
Sixteen year old Anna McDowall from Voe, Owen Priest, 19, from Gulberwick, 17-year-old Edward Stanley from Reawick and Aaron Regler, 17, from Sandwick are currently studying for one year at Inverness College UHI as part of their training to become four of the first turbine technicians working at the Viking Energy wind farm.
Anna said: “I wanted to do practical work and not just the academic learning I was experiencing at school. I also knew I wanted a job in the renewable energy sector and to be part of the fight to slow climate change.”
Aaron agreed that being able to start his career in Shetland made the apprenticeship an attractive opportunity.
“I have always been interested in the mechanical side of things so when I saw this apprenticeship, I decided to apply especially given renewable energy is a growing industry,” he said.
SSE Renewables’ head of onshore projects Derek Hastings said: “The training that Anna, Owen, Ed and Aaron are getting today will give them the basis for a solid career in renewable energy for years to come.”
AN ACCOUNTANCY student from Shetland UHI has been named as a finalist in the Modern Apprenticeship of the Year – SCQF Level 5 category at this year’s Scottish Apprenticeship Awards.
Sarah Sandison works at Bon Accord Accountancy Limited in Lerwick where she has just completed her foundation level in accountancy at SCQF 5 and is now studying for her diploma.
The 26-year-old said: “Doing a modern apprenticeship has meant I can remain in Shetland while getting qualifications, which is ideal for me.”
Vocational training co-ordinator at the newly merged college Janice Leask added: “Sarah was working from home for many months, and she has shown great commitment to getting her job done through these difficult times.
“She aims to finish this level as soon as possible then move on to the next stage of accountancy qualifications”
Details of the apprenticeship awards finalists can be found here. Award winners will be announced this week.
SHETLAND’s salmon producers Scottish Sea Farms and Cooke Aquaculture have so far installed a total of 21 publicly accessible defibrillators at farming sites across the isles as part of a nationwide initiative by the industry.
Scottish Sea Farms has produced an online interactive map to pinpoint the exact locations of the equipment.
Salmon Scotland, the industry’s trade body, said that back in January one of the men delivering a vanload of defibrillators to Shetland for Cooke fell ill – resulting in his brother using one of the devices on him.
The 61-year-old was able to have his chest monitored with the help of his brother while they waited 30 minutes for an ambulance.
There are around 3,200 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Scotland every year, and only one in 10 people survive.
Salmon Scotland’s chief executive Tavish Scott said: “Dozens of these devices are now available in some of Scotland’s most remote and rural areas thanks to the farm-raised salmon sector, many of which are available for public use in an emergency.”
Most of these defibrillators are already marked on our own map of defibrillators available across Shetland, which will be updated shortly.
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