A top class 20 years for aquaculture trainer Saravanan
The man who led the development of online aquaculture training courses at the NAFC Marine Centre in Scalloway, Shetland has had his 20 years’ long service recognised.
Saro Saravanan joined the NAFC’s staff as a hatchery technician in 2000, having first arrived at the centre two years earlier to enrol on the NAFC’s HNC course in Fisheries Science.
While working on a shrimp farm in his native India, Saro had been planning to apply to university in Canada until a chance sighting of an advert in Fish Farmer magazine led him instead to Shetland.
Worked in hatchery
Saravanan worked in the NAFC hatchery for many years on species including lobsters, halibut and cod, and became increasingly involved in the training of aquaculture apprentices and other aquaculture students.
He transferred to NAFC’s Training & Skills Department as an internal verifier in 2015 where he helps maintain the academic quality of the centre’s aquaculture training and continues the development of online courses.
Student support
His service has been acknowledged along with that of Caroline Hepburn, who joined the then Shetland Fishermen’s Training Association (SFTA) in October 1998, working with the late Gussie Angus to organise training for the local fishing and aquaculture industries.
Amongst the new entrants that she helped start their careers in these industries are many of Shetland’s current fishermen, some of whom are now skippers with their own boats.
Hepburn’s industry liaison role continued after the SFTA was absorbed into NAFC but has since expanded to include support for all students attending both NAFC and Shetland College.
Excellent ambassadors
NAFC’s head of aquaculture training, Stuart Fitzsimmons, said: “Saro and Caroline have been excellent ambassadors for the NAFC Marine Centre over many years, and their excellent services are greatly appreciated by staff, students and industry. It is a great achievement for both of them and we wish them best of luck for the future.”
NAFC principal Willie Shannon said: “These milestones represent significant achievements by two key members of staff, both of whom have made substantial contributions to the NAFC Marine Centre and to the industries that the centre serves.”
