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Fisher Apprenticeship SOUTHWEST FISH PRODUCERS ORGANISATION
Life as a commercial fisherman is both incredibly challenging and immensely rewarding. If you love the sea, don’t mind hard graft and want to help keep an ancient and vital industry thriving, then a job as a commercial fisherman could be for you.
Closing date: 01 Jul 2023
Apprenticeship summary
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Annual wage
£10,982.40
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Working week
Days and times to be agreed upon appointment
Total hours per week: 40.0
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Expected duration
18 Months
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Possible start date
01 Sep 2023
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Date posted
02 Mar 2023
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Apprenticeship level
Intermediate
Level 2 (GCSE) -
Reference number
VAC1000138155
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Positions
10 available
What will the apprentice be doing?
Life as a commercial fisherman is both incredibly challenging and immensely rewarding. If you love the sea, don’t mind hard graft and want to help keep an ancient and vital industry thriving, then a job as a commercial fisherman could be for you.
Commercial fishermen work as part of a team, both onshore and at sea. They are involved in the whole fishing operation from sea to sale, including deciding which fish to catch, where and how to best catch them and where to sell them for the best price. This includes ensuring the safe navigation of the vessel to and from fishing grounds, the construction, fitting and mending of fishing gear, deploying and retrieving gear, and processing, storing and landing the fish and shellfish caught. They also get involved in the collection of data for scientists and policy makers to help inform future policies to ensure stocks are fished sustainably and available to the next generation of fishermen.
All candidates will be required to attend a pre-apprenticeship course to support the entry requirements of the apprenticeship. This will consist of college days based at the Noss Marina Campus of South Devon College, in addition to several days onboard a commercial fishing vessel with the employer.
In one of these roles you will learn to sustainably harvest fish and shellfish and learn a range of fishing methods from static gears such as shellfish pots through to modern, selective, high-tech trawl equipment.
You will be expected to work as part of a team, both onshore and at sea. In your daily work, you will interact with the skipper, boat owners and crew members and fisheries observers.
They may include:
- Enforcement officers
- Port and authorities
- Scientists and Safety advisors
- Onshore, you may have contact with logistics companies, harbour staff and fish market employees.
You will be involved in the entire end-to-end process:
- Catch, process, store and land the fish (or shellfish)
- Log details of the catch and report them to the skipper or boat owner. This may include the species caught along with estimates of size and weight
- Setting up the fishing gear and fit it to a boat and watch-keep on a navigational passage to and from fishing grounds
- Deploy and retrieve gear & use onboard hydraulics and powered machinery
- Collect data for policy makers
- This data informs plans for fishing, catch limits and quotas to ensure stocks remain sustainable
- Adapt to seasonal changes and vary approach to catch different types of fish. Also adapting approaches in response to the sea, tides, and weather conditions
- Complying with maritime and safety Regulations
- Using and maintaining personal protective equipment
- This is a rewarding occupation. It involves working outdoors and can be physically demanding. You will initially work on a traineeship with South Devon College including sea survival, an ENG1 Medical before progressing to the Level 2 Fisher apprenticeship
What training will the apprentice take and what qualification will the apprentice get at the end?
On progression to the 18 month Level 2 Apprenticeship, you will attend college on block delivery for a whole week, approximately every 6 weeks, where you will be supported to achieve the following 7 qualifications required as part of the apprenticeship as well as the knowledge, skills and behaviours required to become a Fisher.
- Complete basic training approved by any Maritime Administration which is signatory to the Seafarers
- Training Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) convention
- 1 day Seafish Fishermen’s basic sea survival or STCW Personal Survival Techniques
- 1 day Seafish Fishermen’s basic firefighting and prevention or 2 day STCW Fire Fighting and Fire Prevention
- 1 day Seafish Fishermen’s basic first aid or STCW Elementary First Aid (1 day)
- 1 day Seafish basic health and safety covering: know your vessel, understanding roles and responsibilities, maintaining effectiveness, working safely on a fishing vessel, dealing with emergencies
- Certificated 5 day Seafish Navigation and Watchkeeping course
- Certificated 5 day Marine Coastguard Agency (MCA) Approved Engine Course Diesel Engine course
- Certificated 1 day Seafish Stability Awareness for Experienced Fishermen course
- Certificated 1 day Seafish Advanced Stability Awareness course
- Certificated Royal Yacht Association VHF Short Range Certificate
What is the expected career progression after this apprenticeship?
- Progression opportunities include: experienced deckhand mate, skipper of the boat, onboard marine engineer, onboard chef/fisher on larger boats, fisheries science/observer, gear technologist, offshore survey and energy worker. There are also opportunities to become self-employed and a boat owner
Requirements and prospects
Desired skills and personal qualities
Qualifications
GCSE or equivalent Maths (Grade E/2) Desired
Things to consider
About the employer
Employer
SOUTHWEST FISH PRODUCERS ORGANISATION
Address
PYNEWOOD HOUSE
1A EXETER ROAD
IVYBRIDGE
PL21 0FN
Contact
Juliette Hatchman
Training
Apprenticeship standard
Fisher
Level 2 (GCSE)
Before you apply
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