Over 100 students and 46 resource persons from the maritime and marine industry attended this year's Fish & Ships. The event was an energetic evening of inspiring lectures, speed dating and real conversations.
Fish & Ships was organized on Wednesday, April 9th, under the auspices of NCE Seafood and Maritime Bergen, with the aim of connecting students with the breadth of opportunities that exist in the marine and maritime industry. The event took place at Grieg Gruppen, which provided both premises and speakers.
First on stage was Jenny Kvamme, an economics student at NHH and business developer at Salmon City. She talked about how she was surprised by how large and complex the seafood industry actually is.
– This is an industry for problem solvers. Because it is a growing industry that faces major challenges, there is constant work to find solutions to real problems. That makes it exciting to be a part of, regardless of your professional background, said Kvamme from the stage.
The evening continued with several presentations from various voices in the industry, before the speed dating began. The room was packed with students and resource persons in short one-on-one conversations.
– The atmosphere in the venue was completely electric and the turnout of the resource persons was great. That says a lot about the curiosity and engagement we experienced in the room, says Synnøve Alise Furnes, communications and event coordinator at NCE Seafood and one of the organizers behind Fish & Ships.
She also shared her own path into the industry – a path she didn't think was possible.
– I didn't think my background in digital communication and innovation and management had anything to do with the seafood industry. But one could be so wrong. It's precisely the interdisciplinary nature we need more of, she says.
Eyes opened to a new career path
The response from the students was immediate:
– I hadn't thought of the seafood industry as a relevant career path for me, but now I see how many opportunities there are, even for those of us who don't have a marine or maritime background, says Emelia Tveitå, a pharmacy student at the University of Bergen.
Master's student in Innovation and Management Stina Grindheim was also surprised by the breadth:
– I have always had an interest in fishing, and Fish & Ships provided insight into the industries. It was inspiring to see how expertise from different fields and companies can contribute to such an important and forward-looking industry, says Stina Grindheim, a student at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences.
After the speed dating, sushi from Lerøy was served, and the participants stayed for a long time to mingle and continue their conversations.
Industry in change – and with room for more
The event highlighted the industry's need for expertise in everything from technology and sustainability to business development and communication.
It is clear that the students are curious about the business world – they want to ask questions, make connections and gain insight into how they can contribute after graduation. It was both fun and inspiring to participate, says Ole-Vidar Andersland, Senior Media & Communications Manager at Aquabyte
The feedback afterwards also shows that many students miss such arenas – and that the connection between education and practice still needs to be strengthened.
– Many said that this was the first time they had actually spoken to someone from the maritime industries. It shows how important such events are and that the clusters' central role as bridge builders between students and the business community is crucial for a more practical approach to working life. We must become better at showcasing the diversity in the industry and making it clear that there is room for lawyers, economists, marketers and developers, says Furnes.
Collaboration between business clusters and the business community
Fish & Ships was organized in close collaboration with Maritime Bergen and important industry players. The Grieg Group provided the premises, but also its own speakers who contributed insight and experience. Lerøy provided the food service and sushi from Lerøy was the icing on the cake for the good conversations and relationship building throughout the evening.
NCE Seafood's focus on talent attraction is clearly anchored in the board, and we are now seeing results from the long-term work to highlight the opportunities for students.
– This is a collaboration we are incredibly proud of, and we are already looking forward to the next time, concludes Furnes.
