Alaska Seafood Processing Needs Assessment:
Workforce Training, High School Career Programs and Applied Research
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The Alaska Seafood Processing Needs Assessment was sent to 75 plant managers and 15 offshore catcher/processor companies in spring and summer 2020. Forty-six individual plant managers or HR managers responded, working for 25 companies in 25 communities across Alaska. Three catcher-processor companies, representing 25 vessels, also responded to the survey. Altogether, survey responders represented over 15,000 seafood workers at the peak of their season.
The companies responding represent a wide diversity in size of plant, species harvested, seasons operating and products produced. |
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Companies represented in the survey include:
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Survey responders work in these communities:
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Full results Alaska’s Seafood Future survey
How many people are employed at your plant/onboard during the peak?
■ 11 with 100 or fewer employees
■ 14 with 101-300 employees
■ 17 with 301-500 employees
■ 4 with 501-800 employees
■ 2 with 801-1500 employees
■ 14 with 101-300 employees
■ 17 with 301-500 employees
■ 4 with 501-800 employees
■ 2 with 801-1500 employees
WORKFORCE TRAINING NEEDS
What positions in your plant are the most difficult to fill?
■ Plant Engineer
■ Refrigeration Engineer
■ Electrician
■ QA manager
■ Plant manager
■ Production manager
■ Baader Machinist
■ Office Manager
■ Safety Manager
■ Offshore Catcher/Processors
■ Captain
■ Mate
■ Chief Engineer
■ Assistant Engineer
■ Deckhand
■ Refrigeration Engineer
■ Electrician
■ QA manager
■ Plant manager
■ Production manager
■ Baader Machinist
■ Office Manager
■ Safety Manager
■ Offshore Catcher/Processors
■ Captain
■ Mate
■ Chief Engineer
■ Assistant Engineer
■ Deckhand
Notes:
Most plants employ one or a small number of these positions; refrigeration is the exception
Training is required for all of these positions
Lots of turnover in these skilled positions
Most plants employ one or a small number of these positions; refrigeration is the exception
Training is required for all of these positions
Lots of turnover in these skilled positions
What training is mandatory for your workforce?
More than 10 employees (or 5-10 for smaller plants)
■ Firefighting
■ First aid/CPR
■ HACCP
■ HAZWOPER
■ OSHA 10-hr
2-5 employees or single employee
■ Boiler operator
■ DEC wastewater
■ Electrician journeyman
■ EPA 608
■ RETA cert (refrigeration)
■ CDL driver
■ IT training
■ USCG QMed (offshore)
■ Firefighting
■ First aid/CPR
■ HACCP
■ HAZWOPER
■ OSHA 10-hr
2-5 employees or single employee
■ Boiler operator
■ DEC wastewater
■ Electrician journeyman
■ EPA 608
■ RETA cert (refrigeration)
■ CDL driver
■ IT training
■ USCG QMed (offshore)
What other desired skills in your workforce that could result from training? (check more than one)
■ 87% – Supervisory skills
■ 76% – Developing future leaders
■ 72%– Computer skills (Excel, Word)
■ 61% – Conflict management
■ 54% – Preventing harassment and discrimination
■ 48% – Basic accounting skills
■ 48% – Math skills focused on production
■ 41%– English proficiency
■ 30% – Fostering diversity and inclusion
■ 76% – Developing future leaders
■ 72%– Computer skills (Excel, Word)
■ 61% – Conflict management
■ 54% – Preventing harassment and discrimination
■ 48% – Basic accounting skills
■ 48% – Math skills focused on production
■ 41%– English proficiency
■ 30% – Fostering diversity and inclusion
Where do you currently train employees? (check all that apply)
■ 96% - in house training taught by other employees
■ 61% - training offsite
■ 52% - training online
■ 48% - consultant brought in
■ 61% - training offsite
■ 52% - training online
■ 48% - consultant brought in
Would it be helpful to have more training available offsite?
■ 88% – yes
■ 12% – no
■ 12% – no
Priorities:
■ QC/HACCP/sanitation
■ Ammonia refrigeration certification
■ Supervisory skills, interpersonal communication skills
■ HAZWOPER (with ammonia) and refreshers
■ Baader operations
■ Regulatory compliance
■ Safety/First aid/CPR/Drill instructor
■ Basic/advanced firefighting (offshore companies)
■ General maintenance and troubleshooting
■ Electrician, process line mechanic
■ Net mending (offshore companies)
■ Lead production
■ Overall introduction to seafood processing
■ Inventory tracking
■ Fillet training and machine setup
■ Multivac
■ English, math, Excel
■ Ammonia refrigeration certification
■ Supervisory skills, interpersonal communication skills
■ HAZWOPER (with ammonia) and refreshers
■ Baader operations
■ Regulatory compliance
■ Safety/First aid/CPR/Drill instructor
■ Basic/advanced firefighting (offshore companies)
■ General maintenance and troubleshooting
■ Electrician, process line mechanic
■ Net mending (offshore companies)
■ Lead production
■ Overall introduction to seafood processing
■ Inventory tracking
■ Fillet training and machine setup
■ Multivac
■ English, math, Excel
Would an intensive program introducing seafood processing be valuable?
■ 49% – yes
■ 49% – maybe
■ 2% – no
If so, what should it include?
■ Basic management of facility, someone to run an operation.
■ QC/food product safety
■ General microbiology
■ Introduction to the work, basic hands on training, processing environment. The more people who understand the job, the better.
■ Leadership and work ethics
■ Big picture and the future of the industry. How to be profitable.
■ HACCP, production accounting
■ Either mechanical/electric/hydraulic/refrigeration skills
■ Since we operate at sea, Cold Water Survival and Safety
■ Should be geared toward Deck, Factory and Engineering (offshore)
■ A certificate in seafood processing careers (maybe at the high school level?)
■ Basic mechanics, electrician, refrigeration, use of tools, etc.
■ QC training, sanitation
■ Math
■ Supervisory skills, diversity, conflict resolution, production principals
■ An introductory look at seafood processing – production, maintenance, quality, safety, environmental compliance, HR, fleet management
■ Overall understanding of fisheries.
■ Handling of seafood to preserve freshness and cleanliness.
■ Plant operations
■ Government compliance
■ 49% – maybe
■ 2% – no
If so, what should it include?
■ Basic management of facility, someone to run an operation.
■ QC/food product safety
■ General microbiology
■ Introduction to the work, basic hands on training, processing environment. The more people who understand the job, the better.
■ Leadership and work ethics
■ Big picture and the future of the industry. How to be profitable.
■ HACCP, production accounting
■ Either mechanical/electric/hydraulic/refrigeration skills
■ Since we operate at sea, Cold Water Survival and Safety
■ Should be geared toward Deck, Factory and Engineering (offshore)
■ A certificate in seafood processing careers (maybe at the high school level?)
■ Basic mechanics, electrician, refrigeration, use of tools, etc.
■ QC training, sanitation
■ Math
■ Supervisory skills, diversity, conflict resolution, production principals
■ An introductory look at seafood processing – production, maintenance, quality, safety, environmental compliance, HR, fleet management
■ Overall understanding of fisheries.
■ Handling of seafood to preserve freshness and cleanliness.
■ Plant operations
■ Government compliance
Does your plant have an internship or apprenticeship program?
■ 31% – yes
■ 69% – no
Notes:
None of the plants expressed consistent success using interns, but offshore processors use maritime academy cadets.
■ 69% – no
Notes:
None of the plants expressed consistent success using interns, but offshore processors use maritime academy cadets.
What is the best way to find out about training?
■ Email
■ Our corporate network
■ Alaska Sea Grant
■ “A general training bulletin would be helpful”
■ Our corporate network
■ Alaska Sea Grant
■ “A general training bulletin would be helpful”
When is the best time for training? (answers to this question depends on whether plant operates year-round or seasonally).
■ Spring
■ April-June
■ Late summer, early fall, or after a season
■ Right before or right after season
■ Nov-Dec or early Jan pre-pollock
■ Feb/Mar before longlining starts
■ Depends on the training. If the training is applicable, we will make time.
■ It depends on the position and need to the company
■ April-June
■ Late summer, early fall, or after a season
■ Right before or right after season
■ Nov-Dec or early Jan pre-pollock
■ Feb/Mar before longlining starts
■ Depends on the training. If the training is applicable, we will make time.
■ It depends on the position and need to the company
Best location for training?
■ On site and off site – benefits to each
■ Dutch Harbor – too expensive to send folks somewhere else
■ Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center, offsite, onsite - just make them relevant
■ Cost wise, local is always better. Onsite or combined training at Icicle would also be good. For out of town training ANC and SEA are about equal.
■ Here in Petersburg (bring the trainer here as we have multiple processors in Psbg). Prefer Seattle or Anchorage over Kodiak as it is one less flight to get there. Expensive in time and money to go away from Petersburg for training.
■ Close to where they live. Many crew have difficulty traveling to Seattle for specified training. For crew in Alaska- Anchorage is central, though I believe AVTEC in Seward has been helpful in the past depending on the courses available.
■ Dutch Harbor – too expensive to send folks somewhere else
■ Kodiak Seafood and Marine Science Center, offsite, onsite - just make them relevant
■ Cost wise, local is always better. Onsite or combined training at Icicle would also be good. For out of town training ANC and SEA are about equal.
■ Here in Petersburg (bring the trainer here as we have multiple processors in Psbg). Prefer Seattle or Anchorage over Kodiak as it is one less flight to get there. Expensive in time and money to go away from Petersburg for training.
■ Close to where they live. Many crew have difficulty traveling to Seattle for specified training. For crew in Alaska- Anchorage is central, though I believe AVTEC in Seward has been helpful in the past depending on the courses available.
Does your company have a budget for training?
■ 56% - have an annual budget for training
Does your company incentivize or subsidize training?
■ 36% - yes
■ 62% - sometimes
■ 62% - sometimes
Do you have an employee advancement program in your company?
■ 30% - yes
■ 70% - no
■ 70% - no
Employees in your plant with potential for advancement?
■ Of the 41 who responded, all identified 1-50 employees in their plant who have potential to advance with training and several identified over 100 employees.
Any other comments?
■ a number of our positions have clear levels of responsibility, i.e. step 1, 2, or 3 so employee knows how to advance;
■ I worry a bit about trainings that allow employees from different companies cross fertilize - we lose employees that way.
■ Accredited online training would be great.
■ There’s a lot of basic information about working in a seafood plant that people lack.
■ Most people applying for work don’t even have basic high school skills
■ Spreading the word, encouraging people back to Alaska fish processing jobs, showing how work looks like, podcast, interviews with people that have season or two behind them.
■ Emphasis on work ethic would be helpful, also supervisory/leadership skills since culturally it can be difficult to mitigate conflict and poor workmanship with folks who are neighbors or relatives.
■ Continue to work with processors to develop training that has true value and not just a feel-good program for the State.
■ We need skilled people who want to come to and live in Alaska, but the seasonality of our jobs is a huge challenge.
■ Training for existing or potential maintenance staff in electrical, plumbing, refer, small engines, etc. to broaden their skills would be very helpful.
■ I have concern about spending money on employee training and then losing employee to other processors or even vessel owner/skippers.
■ I worry a bit about trainings that allow employees from different companies cross fertilize - we lose employees that way.
■ Accredited online training would be great.
■ There’s a lot of basic information about working in a seafood plant that people lack.
■ Most people applying for work don’t even have basic high school skills
■ Spreading the word, encouraging people back to Alaska fish processing jobs, showing how work looks like, podcast, interviews with people that have season or two behind them.
■ Emphasis on work ethic would be helpful, also supervisory/leadership skills since culturally it can be difficult to mitigate conflict and poor workmanship with folks who are neighbors or relatives.
■ Continue to work with processors to develop training that has true value and not just a feel-good program for the State.
■ We need skilled people who want to come to and live in Alaska, but the seasonality of our jobs is a huge challenge.
■ Training for existing or potential maintenance staff in electrical, plumbing, refer, small engines, etc. to broaden their skills would be very helpful.
■ I have concern about spending money on employee training and then losing employee to other processors or even vessel owner/skippers.
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HIGH SCHOOL CAREER AWARENESS AND RECRUITMENT
How highly do you rate the importance of recruitment of people looking for a career in the seafood industry?
■ 72% - rank importance of recruitment as a 5 or 4 (5 is highest)
Does your facility interact with your local high school?
■ 68% - no
■ 32% - yes
If yes, how do you interact?
■ Participate in career awareness day
■ Job fairs, scholarships
■ Fundraising at times
■ Seminars on fish processing
■ Sometimes hire high school students, sponsorships
■ Donations, sponsorships
■ Give tours, donations to school events
■ 32% - yes
If yes, how do you interact?
■ Participate in career awareness day
■ Job fairs, scholarships
■ Fundraising at times
■ Seminars on fish processing
■ Sometimes hire high school students, sponsorships
■ Donations, sponsorships
■ Give tours, donations to school events
Do you have any sort of career awareness materials or participate in career awareness days for local high school students?
■ 95% no
■ One plant participates in annual job fair, other noted that pamphlets were available in their company.
■ Another noted use of videos that show fish processing in the factory.
■ One plant participates in annual job fair, other noted that pamphlets were available in their company.
■ Another noted use of videos that show fish processing in the factory.
Are you willing to host interested high school students in your facility for short periods of time to expose them to the seafood industry?
■ 98% yes/maybe
■ This is particularly difficult for offshore processors whose employees must be over 18.
■ This is particularly difficult for offshore processors whose employees must be over 18.
Would you be interested in participating in a high school program to introduce students to the seafood industry?
■ 92% yes/maybe
Comments/questions
■ We’re interested in specific skill sets – welding, quality control, maintenance, management logistics
■ this is something I’d like to see my company pursue more of
■ we do hire local high school students for the summer
■ liability questions, all about their safety. The biggest issue is workforce laws that prohibit under 18-year-old workers anywhere in the plant - state laws.
■ not realistic in rural Alaska where plant is seasonal and very small town with small school
■ this would give them a good idea of the jobs that are available, would be helpful
■ not sure high school kids are looking for careers on fishing boats, haven’t had kids asking for work for 8-10 years
■ we hire inmates from Wildwood Prison so would need to consider how to do both – i.e. prisoners and high school students in the same plant
■ most young people have poor work ethic these days
■ they have to apply before we hire them
■ We have actively hired high school students and trained them. Some have fallen back on that training, when the need to make ends meet. No one plans to be a production worker in a seafood plant when they grow up.
■ Our work season in Wrangell is perfect for students, it only operates in the summer.
■ make it interesting, rewarding
■ What age qualifies for this
■ we have internship programs where individuals apply. We select through this process.
■ this is something I’d like to see my company pursue more of
■ we do hire local high school students for the summer
■ liability questions, all about their safety. The biggest issue is workforce laws that prohibit under 18-year-old workers anywhere in the plant - state laws.
■ not realistic in rural Alaska where plant is seasonal and very small town with small school
■ this would give them a good idea of the jobs that are available, would be helpful
■ not sure high school kids are looking for careers on fishing boats, haven’t had kids asking for work for 8-10 years
■ we hire inmates from Wildwood Prison so would need to consider how to do both – i.e. prisoners and high school students in the same plant
■ most young people have poor work ethic these days
■ they have to apply before we hire them
■ We have actively hired high school students and trained them. Some have fallen back on that training, when the need to make ends meet. No one plans to be a production worker in a seafood plant when they grow up.
■ Our work season in Wrangell is perfect for students, it only operates in the summer.
■ make it interesting, rewarding
■ What age qualifies for this
■ we have internship programs where individuals apply. We select through this process.
SEAFOOD TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONS NEEDING APPLIED RESEARCH
What product quality, product development, process technology or marketing questions does your company have that could be addressed through applied research? (check all that apply)
■ 70% – New product development for byproducts
■ 68% – Product recovery
■ 63% – New seafood processing techniques creating efficiencies
■ 47% – New markets for underutilized species
■ 34% – New markets for seaweed and other mariculture products
Other:
■ Lean manufacturing, quality management
■ Warming waters impacting fish stocks
■ In-state reprocessing potential
■ Loop systems that grow crops fertilized through seafood harvest
■ Nematodes and other parasites in salmon if farmed fish don’t have them that will hurt us
■ Salmon milt usage
■ How can we continue to reduce workplace injuries?
■ 68% – Product recovery
■ 63% – New seafood processing techniques creating efficiencies
■ 47% – New markets for underutilized species
■ 34% – New markets for seaweed and other mariculture products
Other:
■ Lean manufacturing, quality management
■ Warming waters impacting fish stocks
■ In-state reprocessing potential
■ Loop systems that grow crops fertilized through seafood harvest
■ Nematodes and other parasites in salmon if farmed fish don’t have them that will hurt us
■ Salmon milt usage
■ How can we continue to reduce workplace injuries?
Do you know how to encourage research or to direct funds to have these questions addressed?
■ 85% - no
What resources, organizations do you use to find answers to these questions? (check all that apply)
■ 63% – Seafood Processors Association
■ 56% – ASMI
■ 49% – In house experts
■ 37% – Seafood equipment companies
■ 40% - Alaska Sea Grant
■ 28% - University of Alaska
■ 23% - University of Washington
■ 56% – ASMI
■ 49% – In house experts
■ 37% – Seafood equipment companies
■ 40% - Alaska Sea Grant
■ 28% - University of Alaska
■ 23% - University of Washington