Pledge to improve links between job centres and seafood processing sector following labour shortages
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
The UK Government Minister for Employment has pledged to look at how job centres can do more to encourage local people to work in the seafood processing sector following a meeting with industry bosses in Aberdeen.
MP Guy Opperman, accompanied by Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid, met industry representatives including Jimmy Buchan, chief executive of the Scottish Seafood Association, amid concerns about labour shortages and sourcing local workers.
Issues such as improving connections between local job centres and the seafood processing industry were discussed at the meeting held at Joseph Robertson in Aberdeen.
The discussions come after the UK Government awarded more than £6.5 million to modernise and expand seafood processing facilities in Banff and Buchan last month – about a third of the amount of that came to Scotland in this latest round of funding.
Following the meeting, Mr Duguid, who regularly meets with the industry and the UK Government on the challenges faced by the sector, said: “It was great to welcome the UK Employment Minister, MP Guy Opperman, to the north-east to discuss how the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can help address issues with accessing local labour.
“The issue of attracting local people into the sector is a long-standing one – particularly with such low unemployment in the area and competition from other industries such as oil and gas and the burgeoning renewables sector.
“The discussions around how local job centres in Peterhead and Fraserburgh can form better connections with the industry were extremely positive and I look forward to seeing a difference in this in the future.
“It’s vital our processing sector keeps pace with increasing demand at home and abroad while boosting production and building a resilient industry for the future.
“This is why I welcomed the minister’s pledge for the DWP to help our industry with the people, training and support it needs in the north-east to help ensure our region remains world leaders in seafood production.
“Of course, the industry has become highly dependent on overseas workers over the years and I reminded those present of recent measures taken by the Home Office to help facilitate this.
“This is including, but not limited to, recent additions to the Shortage Occupation List of pretty much every role in the seafood processing sector but work still continues on addressing this further.”
Mr Opperman said: “It’s key we support and sustain a vital local industry that provides hundreds of jobs and helps feed the nation.
“I learnt a lot, listened a lot, and took away action points and a renewed intensity for the local DWP team to help the industry with the people, training and the support it needs to prosper.”
