The Modern Apprenticeship in Aquaculture

Age of entrants

New entrants can start a Modern Apprenticeship at level 2 (husbandry/operative) on leaving school at age 16 and can progress to level 3 following their promotion to supervisory level. Mature learners can complete the MA at any age and stage of their career, to gain a recognised National Qualification.

Entry requirements

There are no formal academic entry requirements to the MA at level 2. The learner must be employed by an aquaculture company willing to support them and co-operate with the training provider regarding practical training and assessment.

Modern Apprenticeship structure and content

National Occupational Standards (NOS) devised by industry have been used to define the practical skills and knowledge assessed by the MA validated by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA). It is composed of mandatory Core Units, in addition to a prescribed number of Optional Units, at each level, selected to suit the nature of the farm operation and the learners’ and employers’ needs.

Individualised Learning

The ‘core and options’ structure provides the flexibility to facilitate individualised learning and assessment to suit the farm operation and learner. For example, a learner based on a freshwater smolt facility, would normally only elect those Optional Units relevant to the freshwater phase of salmon production.
It is possible to enhance an individual learners’ development plan by adding Units additional to the minimum requirement. All Units achieved will appear on the learners final SQA certificate, as evidence of their knowledge and skills.

MA delivery and assessment

The assessment of practical skills must be undertaken in the work place, through many methods, including, observation by a qualified assessor and witness testimony provided by an experience supervisor.
The assessment of knowledge can be undertaken in a college or other supervised learning centre. It can also be undertaken on a farm, if invigilated, supported by the VET provider.
The learning process often includes a combination of approaches: supported distance or e learning, college block attendance (1-2 weeks), short course attendance and practical skills training on farm.

Company based training schemes

In response to the decline in full time college based provision and the relatively low levels of MA funding available for ‘mature’ work based learners the aquaculture companies have become self-sufficient. Company’ training schemes has been developed and have become increasingly, and include initial induction, comprehensive training schemes and supervised work experience. Their delivery and assessment is driven by company Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). However, they do not lead to a National Qualification and are not subject to quality assurance by an approved VET provider or authority. Therefore, a relatively high proportion of the Scottish Aquaculture workforce do not hold a National Qualification relevant to their occupational role, despite having developed considerable skills and knowledge, in many cases.