Three students at the Icelandic College of Fisheries in Grindavik have each been awarded ISK 300,000 each towards their respective fisheries-related training courses. The award is made by the organisers of the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition and the bursary awards have been awarded on a regular basis since 2017.
The 2024 awards were presented to Klaudia Magdalena Lenkiewicz, Beata Mroz and Thórdís Ýr Snjólaugardóttir at an event held at the Iceland Ocean Cluster Reykjavik.
‘The Icelandic Fisheries Bursary award is a great encouragement and provides an exceptional boost to my studies in aquaculture technology. I trained as a lathe operator and was tired of being given assignments that weren’t tailored to the requirements and demands of those who work with the equipment itself,’ said Þórdís Ýr Snjólaugardóttir.
‘I’m looking for a more in-depth understanding of this equipment’s functionality and how best to develop efficient, cost-effective solutions to technical challenges. This scholarship holds great importance for me as it provides an opportunity to enhance my knowledge in this field.’
Applications were assessed by a specialist judging panel from the industry, including Klemenz Sæmundson, head of the Icelandic College of Fisheries, former Marel learning and development manager Sigurjón Elíasson, Hrefna Karlsdóttir of Fisheries Iceland, Örn Pálsson of the National Association of Small Boat Owners, and Bjarni Thór Jónsson, representative for Mercator Media and the Icelandic Fisheries Exhibition.
‘I hadn’t expected to receive the Icelandic Fisheries Bursary award and this are incredibly valuable for me,’ said award recipient Klaudia Magdalena Lenkiewicz.
‘I was quite worried about the escalating cost of living and a variety of challenges had left me apprehensive about continuing my studies. Receiving the bursary award for further education not only alleviates those concerns but also provides an encouraging boost.’
Established in the port of Grindavík in 2010, the Icelandic College of Fisheries’ vision is to meet the current requirements of the national fishing and processing industry through the production of suitably trained staff. The college offers training for deck crews, fishing vessel deckhands and shore-based industries in aquaculture and fish processing.
Fishing gear technology apprenticeships are also offered in association with the Suðurnes Comprehensive College in Reykjanesbær. The initial courses have since been expanded to include more in-depth, specialised courses of specialised study, which include quality control, fish processing and fish farming and it is these that the IceFish bursary specifically supports.
