Seafood cluster lands 拢250,000 to help ease acute skills shortage and net future leaders

海角视频 Seafood Fund award is one of the largest made in inaugural round

The Grimsby seafood cluster in pictures.

Projects to support Grimsby鈥檚 seafood cluster in building the next-generation skills base have secured more than a quarter of a million pounds.

Defra鈥檚海角视频 Seafood Fund has distributed a first round of investments, with the region netting one of the top awards.

The bulk of the money, 拢248,000, has been landed by the University of Lincoln to help "address an acute shortage of skilled junior and middle managers in the seafood processing sector". Led by its National Centre for Food Manufacturing, in partnership with Seafood Grimsby and Humber Alliance, a 拢331,000 programme will adapt its existing food manufacturing remit to meet specific seafood needs, while developing a new degree to aid the development of aspiring leaders in technical, operations and supply chain roles. Wider collaboration, specifically with Shetland, will further the work.

Professor Val Braybrooks, Dean at the National Centre for Food Manufacturing, said: 鈥淲e are delighted to have been awarded funds to adapt our successful food manufacturing higher and degree apprenticeship offer and develop new provision to meet the skills needs of seafood processing businesses.

鈥淭he new programmes will support the development of aspiring leaders in our sustainability-led and rapidly changing sector and we look forward to collaborating with businesses and partners across the 海角视频 to fuel the talent pipeline.

鈥淲e are indebted to members of the Seafood Grimsby and Humber Alliance for their support in informing our plans and we now look forward to working together with the sectors鈥� employers across the country, along with our educational partner the University of the Highlands and Islands in Shetland, to deliver this flagship skills scheme for the industry and unite our clusters and seafood processing communities through it.鈥�

It is a 拢331,000 project and builds on work already done in the area.

Dean of the National Centre for Food Manufacturing Centre there, Val Braybrooks, and Simon Dwyer, a key figure behind the Grimsby seafood cluster. — Dean of the National Centre for Food Manufacturing Centre, Val Braybrooks, and Simon Dwyer, a key figure behind the Grimsby seafood cluster. (Image: Seafox)

As does a second award for a pilot scheme, introducing the seafood processing sector to new entrants, while providing career opportunities.

Led by Grimsby Institute, Step-into-Seafood has been co-designed with employers and industry specialists, culminating in a 鈥渧ibrant and diverse integrated five-day programme鈥�.

It has been awarded 拢20,561, covering most of the 拢27,400 cost with the aim to create a legacy of flexible, blended, replicable training content that can be adapted and implemented in other locations.

Simon Dwyer, a leading figure within Seafood Grimsby and Humber Alliance, said: 鈥淭he Defra skills funding awards going to Lincoln University's National Centre for Food Manufacturing and The Grimsby Institute is welcome news. Both Seafood Grimsby & Humber Alliance and the Fish Merchants Association have worked closely with both organisations to have a positive impact on our seafood sector that directly employs 5,500 people.

"We're delighted that the degree and apprenticeship level provision has a reach beyond Grimsby into the 海角视频 seafood sector. The awards fall in line with the Government's food strategy that set out to work with the region's seafood cluster on skills, carbon and trade.鈥�

Further awards have been made in London, Cornwall and Scotland, totalling more than 拢1 million. A second round with up to 拢8 million to be made available to modernise training facilities and increase access to opportunities has now opened.

Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer, right, with Alfred Enderby owner Patrick Salmon, holding the products in front of freshly smoked fish within the traditional fish smokehouse. — Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer, right, with Alfred Enderby owner Patrick Salmon, on his recent visit to hear about challenges in industry. (Image: Alfred Enderby)

Fisheries Minister Mark Spencer, who recently visited Grimsby to pledge infrastructure support from the wider fund for HSH Coldstores with its Europarc expansion, said: 鈥淥ur seafood and fishing sectors are a fundamental part of the 海角视频鈥檚 heritage as well as contributing to food security and our economy. The 海角视频 Government is funding opportunities from the quayside to the sales counter, suitable for young people as well as those changing careers.

鈥淚t is absolutely vital we invest in our workforce so these important industries prosper for generations to come.鈥�