Education, Training and Skills Development in Aquaculture

Comprehensive course offerings for all aquaculture sectors content

Comprehensive course offerings for all aquaculture sectors

Preparing for fish harvest

UHI Aquaculture Hub members offer a wide array of training opportunities to the aquaculture sector.  From quick, focused short courses designed to meet industry standards and regulations, to comprehensive university degrees that support both technical skills and research activities.  There's something for everyone.

Whether you're seeking to enter the aquaculture industry, to expand your skill set, or to deepen your knowledge through advanced studies, our programs are designed to support your journey and excel in the aquaculture workplace or in the wider blue economy.

Our qualifications are designed with a deep understanding of the sector's needs, crafted in partnership with key stakeholders, including leading companies in the sector, their supply chains, and the Sector Skills Council, LANTRA.  This collaboration ensures that our courses are not only relevant to current industry demands but also prepare learners for future trends and challenges.

  • Explore the options below and find the course that suits your goals and interests then reach out to the course provider, or you can contact us at aquaculture@uhi.ac.uk. 
  • We can also look to offer bespoke courses to meet specific training needs.

There may be options to help fund your course through contributions from an employer or elsewhere 

Short Courses content

Short Courses

Short Courses

Short courses

Delivery locations and methods vary to suit business needs.

Full tutor support is provided for online courses.

Subject Course Face to face (F2F) Online Course Delivered by
Aquaculture F2F - 1 day Online (Flexible up to 12 months to complete) UHI Shetland
Aquaculture F2F - 2 day Online (Flexible up to 12 months to complete) UHI Shetland
Aquaculture F2F - 0.5 day not online UHI Shetland
Aquaculture F2F - 1 day not online UHI Shetland
Aquaculture F2F - 2 day not online UHI Shetland
Aquaculture F2F - 0.5 day not online UHI Shetland
Aquaculture F2F - 0.5 day Online (Flexible up to 12 months to complete) UHI Shetland
Aquaculture No face-to-face Online (Flexible up to 12 months to complete) UHI Shetland
Aquaculture F2F -1 day not online UHI Shetland
Aquaculture F2F - 0.5 day Online (Flexible up to 12 months to complete) UHI Shetland
Aquaculture F2F - 0.5 day Online (Flexible up to 12 months to complete) UHI Shetland
Aquaculture No face-to-face Online (Flexible up to 12 months to complete) UHI Shetland
Aquaculture
  • NQ Maritime and Aquaculture Skills
    UHI North, West, Hebrides (Outer Hebrides)
Safety F2F - 0.5 day not online UHI Shetland
Safety F2F - 0.5 day not online UHI Shetland
Safety F2F - 0.5 day not online UHI Shetland
Safety F2F - 1-5 day not online

UHI Shetland

UHI North, West, Hebrides (Mallaig and Outer Hebrides)

Safety F2F - 1 day not online

UHI Shetland

UHI North, West, Hebrides (Mallaig and Outer Hebrides)

Safety F2F - 1 day each not online UHI Shetland
Safety F2F - 0.5 day not online UHI Shetland

Safety

F2F - 0.5 day not online UHI Shetland
Safety F2F - 1-3 day not online UHI Shetland
Safety F2F - 0.5 day not online UHI Shetland

Workboat

F2F - 1 day not online UHI Shetland

Workboat

F2F - 2 day not online

UHI Shetland

UHI North, West, Hebrides (Mallaig)

Workboat F2F - 10 day not online UHI Shetland
Workboat Day Skipper Theory     UHI North, West, Hebrides (Outer Hebrides)
Workboat F2F - 5 day not online

UHI Shetland

UHI North, West, Hebrides (Mallaig)

Workboat F2F - 2 day not online

UHI Shetland

UHI North, West, Hebrides (Mallaig and Outer Hebrides)

Workboat F2F - 5 day not online UHI Shetland
Workboat F2F - 5 day not online UHI Shetland
Lift Truck F2F - 2 day not online UHI Shetland
Lift Truck F2F - 1 day not online UHI Shetland
Apprenticeships in Aquaculture - Training in the Workplace content

Apprenticeships in Aquaculture - Training in the Workplace

Apprenticeships in Aquaculture - Training in the Workplace

Apprenticeships provide practical, ‘on-the-job’ training and skills development for aquaculture staff at all levels, leading to nationally recognised qualifications. They are relevant to a range of different types of aquaculture, including both fish and shellfish farming.

  • Modern Apprenticeship in Aquaculture (SCQF Level 5) - for new and less-experienced staff.
  • Modern Apprenticeship in Aquaculture (SCQF Level 7) - for more experienced staff.
  • Technical Apprenticeship in Aquaculture Management (SCQF Level 9) - for senior staff and managers.

Level 2 and 3 MAs are designed by the finfish and shellfish farming industries and are aimed at those carrying out daily husbandry duties on either a freshwater or marine site. These MAs can be used as part of a progression plan within an individual’s place of work and is particularly useful for those without any formal qualifications in aquaculture. The MA provides an opportunity to demonstrate skills and be recognised for these achievements.

The Level 4 MA course is aimed at experienced, senior-level fish farm staff such as managers or assistant site managers. At the end of the course the student will be competent at a broad range of management activities, many of them complex and non-routine, and be able to demonstrate considerable autonomy and responsibility including the management and supervision of other employees. It runs at SCQF level 9, so equivalent to a Higher national Diploma.

While it is normal to progress through the levels, you may be able to enter directly at a higher level if you have relevant experience and/or previous qualifications.

Most training and assessments are workplace-based, but some training at the College. The Technical Apprenticeship (level 9) makes extensive use of self-study via online distance-learning.

Course Level Suitable for Individuals Course available at
Modern Apprenticeship in Aquaculture Level 2 (SCQF 5) New and less experienced staff working in aquaculture

UHI Shetland

UHI North, West and Hebrides

Modern Apprenticeship in Aquaculture Level 3 (SCQF 7) Working in aquaculture

UHI Shetland

UHI North, West and Hebrides

Technical Apprenticeship in Aquaculture Management Level 4 (SCQF 9) Managers and experienced senior staff

UHI Shetland

UHI Argyll

Professional Development and Degree Programmes content

Professional Development and Degree Programmes

Professional Development and Degree Programmes

CPD Sustainable Aquaculture Management is delivered fully online over ~ 9 months.

It is aimed at experienced aquaculture staff working in, or progressing into, management roles or for those with a professional interest in aquaculture. The course is applicable to a range of production techniques, countries, and species.

It is a SCQF Level 8 course.

Students choose 3 units from this list to complete the diploma over 9 months:

  • Managing fish farm operations and production
  • Managing fish health and welfare
  • Managing hatchery operations and production
  • Managing shellfish operations and production
  • Managing health and safety for the production environment
  • Sustainable Aquaculture Practices
  • Managing Aquaculture Quality Systems and Certification

All learning resources are provided via Brightspace and one-on-one tutor support is available.

Fees are £1500 (Scotland), £1800 (RUK) and £2250 (International).  Fee payment options are available. 

Apply now 

Degree programmes

  • BSc (Hons) Marine Science course (4-years) includes aquaculture, fisheries, ecology, marine environmental impact assessment, ocean science and management.  Special features include opportunities to exit with Arctic Studies, Marine Biology or Oceanography and Robotics and a chance to spend one or two semesters at the University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS) Spitzbergen, Coastal Carolina, or at another partner university.
Postgraduate Courses content

Postgraduate Courses

Postgraduate Courses

Masters

ACES is an amazing 2-year programme that allows an international group of students to study aquaculture in Scotland (semester 1), Crete (Greece, semester 2) and Nantes (France, semester 3) with intensive involvement from industry.

Algae produce much of the oxygen we breath and underpin aquatic food chains, but they also have important current and potential roles in pharmaceuticals, pigments, nutraceuticals, biofuels, enzymes, fertilisers, and bioremdiation materials.  On this 1-year course you will learn many research approaches, micro and macro-algal species cultivation, biotechnology, genomics, metabolomics, and will undertake a dissertation project

This demanding Master of Research programme is built on the student choosing and carrying out a full-time 1-year research project that culminates in the submission of a written thesis.

  • MSc by Research - 1-year full-time research projects (two-year part-time) with a number of areas of focus to choose from.

PhDs

There are a wide variety of on-going PhD programmes covering many areas related to aquaculture.

Please see our postgraduate research opportunities page to view current PhD opportunities.

Bespoke and Flexible Training Programmes content

Bespoke and Flexible Training Programmes

Bespoke and Flexible Training Programmes

We aim to be responsive to the needs of the aquaculture industry and we often work directly with companies to develop and deliver bespoke training programmes to meet their specific needs

Working with Schools - National Progression Award in Aquaculture content

Working with Schools - National Progression Award in Aquaculture

Working with Schools - National Progression Award in Aquaculture

The National Progression Award (NPA) in Aquaculture provides opportunities for secondary school pupils to develop the necessary skills for a future career within the salmon farming industry. Set at SCQF levels 4 and 5, the Award takes a very practical and vocational approach with much of the delivery taking place, where possible, at aquaculture sites.

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For more information on Education, Training and skills Development in Aquaculture, please contact us at aquaculture@uhi.ac.uk