Next week we are starting our new competence program, Seafood Next. Seafood Next is an international program for professionals new to the seafood industry.

In the Cluster, our ambition is to secure our partners and members’ access to key competence and to tailor education and competence programs according to the needs of the industry. In 2016 we launched the first Norwegian Seafood Trainee program for recent graduates. This has been a great success and 140 trainees and 29 companies have participated in the program so far. Next week, we launch Seafood Next.

“After running the Seafood Trainee for five years, we see that there is a big demand from our partners and members to increase the seafood competence. Many Seafood Trainee companies has asked if newly employed people can attend Seafood Trainee, and we have realized that not only recent graduates need new competence, but also other persons new to the industry has the same demand,” says Benedicte Skogen, Competence Manager in NCE Seafood Innovation.

34 participants in the first group

Nikolas Kallas, Head of Product at Aquabyte. Photo: Private.

There has been great interest in participating in the first Seafood Next. 34 participants from 15 different companies are attending. The participants represent all stakeholders in the innovative ecosystem like seafood companies, startups, academia, and capital actors.

“The invitation to Seafood Next came at a perfect time. I have a relatively short career in the seafood industry and have a need and desire to learn as much as possible from the best. Through the program I expect to achieve insight into the challenges and opportunities of the various players in the seafood industry that I can use in my job at Aquabyte,” says Nikolas Kallas, Head of Product at Aquabyte.

Insight in the seafood value chain

Hilde Mosand, Marketing Director at MSD Animal Health Norge. Photo: Private.

The first module lasts for two days and will be held at Solstrand. Important actors in the industry as Directorate of Fisheries and Institute of Marine Research will present their important role, and our partners, Benchmark, Cargill, Lerøy, Bremnes, and Ocean Quality will give us insight in the value chain.

“I have 18 years of experience from the veterinary pharmaceutical industry but have only worked 1,5 years with aquaculture. I have learned a lot about fish health and fish welfare, but lack more comprehensive knowledge about the entire value chain. I hope I can get more insight into this through Seafood Next. I look forward to getting to know the other participants and I am sure we can learn a lot both from each other and through the Seafood Next program,” says Hilde Mosand, Marketing Director at MSD Animal Health Norge.

Next program in 2021

The interest in the program has been high, and we have already several participants waiting for the next program starting in 2021.

We look forward to meeting everyone at Solstrand next week!

Want to know more about Seafood Next?

Contact Benedicte Skogen at +47 90629956 and benedicte@seafoodinnovation.no or visit our program page for more information.