MI showcases aquaculture programs and careers to junior high students

The Fisheries and Marine Institute (MI) of Memorial University of Newfoundland recently gave a group of junior high students a look into potential programs and careers in the developing aquaculture sector

Thursday, July 14, 2011

MI hosted 12 junior high students from schools across the Avalon Peninsula for a two-day mini-enrichment program in sustainable aquaculture. The students took part in visits to the cod hatchery at the Oceans Sciences Centre in St. John’s and a tour of the Marine Institute’s aquaculture labs and plant.

“We gave them an overview of sustainable aquaculture practices from across the world and informed them of recent advancements and career opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as other places,” said Cyr Couturier, an aquaculture instructor at the Marine Institute and the chief organizer of the mini-enrichment program. “At the Ocean Sciences Centre they got an overview of cod aquaculture production and research. At the Marine Institute, we gave them a good overview of shellfish aquaculture, as well as salmon and trout. It’s a good way for the kids to learn about sustainable aquaculture and food production, which the Marine Institute is heavily involved in with teaching and research.”

The Institute has been offering the mini-enrichment sustainable aquaculture program for 15 years, with close to 200 junior high students having taken part since 1996. Couturier said it is always encouraging to see how involved and aware the students are about aquaculture practices in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“The students are given an overview of sustainable aquaculture, its role in food supply and production and they get some hands on experience handling fish and shellfish. Every year, they tend to really enjoy the practical, hands-on aspects of it,” he said. “These are some of the top students from the Avalon Peninsula. They have very high marks and use the couple of days to learn more about topics that interest them. The idea is to challenge them a little bit, as well.”

Couturier said an important goal of the mini-enrichment program is to further educate the junior high students about the post-secondary and professional career opportunities available to them. He wants the students to know aquaculture is a diverse and ever developing industry that offers many rewards to well educated professionals.

“We discuss careers with them and answer any questions they have about the industry or how to achieve successful careers in aquaculture,” Couturier said. “We like to show them that the Marine Institute is a place to get world-class education in this field. We talk about MI programs and educate them about what’s available at the Marine Institute and what kind of career options there are for Marine Institute graduates.”

Couturier added he has run into several former participants of the mini-enrichment program years later at the Institute. “Some of them wind up taking our aquaculture programs once they finish high school or after they’ve graduated from university or college,” said Couturier. “I’ve had students come up to me in the hallways at MI and say ‘I was in the mini-enrichment program when I was 13.’ So I guess the program is helping to guide them toward careers in aquaculture.”