A NEW training course is addressing growing demand for aquaculture workers by giving young people the skills they need to get straight into the workforce.

The 14-week course at the Australian Fisheries Academy includes eight weeks training for Certificate II in Seafood Industry (Aquaculture), four weeks of on the job training at seafood enterprises around Port Lincoln, training in other certificates and licences, and industry visits to aquaculture and finfish operations.

Most participants are local but others have come from across the State and the first group includes four females and six indigenous students.

The first 13 students started their course at the end of January and another course will follow.

The State Government’s Seafood Training Centre of Excellence has contracted the Australian Fisheries Academy to run the course with $176,000 from the Federal Government and may apply for more funding for further courses if the first two are successful.

Seafood Training Centre of Excellence executive officer Samara Miller said the program was unique in the way it combined training in the classroom with work experience and additional training for relevant licenses and certificates to get people ready for the workforce.

She said representatives of the aquaculture industry had input to develop the course so it was tailored to give students the skills their potential employers were looking for.

“I think there’s going to be more and more demand for this type of training.

“We want to deliver really state of the art training here for Eyre Peninsula that will benefit aquaculture and keep people in the region.”

Stacey Stone studied aquaculture at school and hopes to use the course to get straight into the workforce through her work experience.

Fellow student Robbie Pickett is also keen to get work in the aquaculture industry and hopes to get into a tuna diving career.

They will learn a diverse range of skills from small boat handling and survival at sea to how to handle stock.