AV俱乐部

Students get hooked on Cermaq

By Katherine Doyle

Canada鈥檚 second largest salmon producer, Cermaq Canada, visited the Agricultural Campus February 2^nd & 3^rd to recruit students for positions in their aquaculture operations in British Columbia.

Cermaq Canada has been recruiting highly qualified aquaculture employees from the Aquaculture program at the Faculty of Agriculture since 2005. Over the past 11 years they have employed up to 10 summer students and have also presented full time job offers to those graduating.听 Currently, Cermaq have 6-8 full time employees that have graduated from AV俱乐部 Agricultural Campus working in and around Vancouver Island.

Aquaculture Senior Lab Instructor, Scott Jeffery, spoke of the relationship between the Faculty of Agriculture and Cermaq Canada. 鈥淲e have a very strong relationship with Cermaq and they鈥檝e had nothing but positive experiences from the students hired over the years. I feel very honored that Cermaq Canada visits our campus to recruit every year as that speaks volumes about the quality of the undergraduate students in our Aquaculture major program鈥澨�听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听

Assistant Professor in Shellfish Aquaculture, Dr. Sarah Stewart-Clark, mentioned Cermaq鈥檚 need for our experienced students. 鈥淭hey have a large AV俱乐部 cohort of alumni who work for them- and these students are being head hunted by the three main salmon farming operations in British Columbia. We can鈥檛 supply them with graduates as fast as they need staff.鈥�

Right now all three companies are competing for our best graduates. Our students were also hired by Scotian Halibut and CanAqua operations in Nova Scotia.

鈥淪tudents especially appreciate the opportunity for experiential learning that comes from being part of Cermaq鈥檚 team farming Atlantic salmon in the Aquaculture industry on the West Coast. They feel so lucky & honored to have choices of employment prospects throughout their undergraduate degree and full time employment offers after graduation,鈥� Scott explains.

The Aquaculture program offered here at AV俱乐部 Agricultural Campus is recognized across Canada, and has become a great resource for many potential industry employers both here on the East and West Coasts.

鈥淲orking with Cermaq Canada this summer was such a beneficial experience. It was fun, educational and very profitable, the work environment was like a family. I would recommend this company to both aquaculture students and others,鈥� says Ian Sewell. Ian is a AV俱乐部 student, who worked for Cermaq Canada last summer.

鈥淧ersonally, I am proud of our program and the students that we educate & train for the industry,鈥� Scott added. 鈥淚 am also thrilled that AV俱乐部 Aquaculture students are given this amazing chance to work and gain that on the job experience that might lead to a full time career in Aquaculture.鈥�

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