Training

We promote careers in the Irish catching, fish farming and seafood processing sectors by training new entrants and upgrading the skills of existing practitioners.


About Training and Skills Development About Training and Skills Development

BIM has an established history in the area of training and skill development for the Irish Seafood Industry. Our first National Fisheries College opened in Greencastle, Co Donegal in 1974 under the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and BIM was given the Training of Fishers function by Ministerial Order in 1978. The first ‘Deckhand’ programme for new entrants commenced in September of the same year. A little over twenty years later our second college was opened in April 1999, The National Fisheries Training College, Castletownbere, Co Cork. There are also two mobile coastal training units to complement our training services.

Seafood Training Programmes Seafood Training Programmes

In 2020 the ISO 9001:2015 Certification was awarded to BIM’s National Fisheries College of Ireland for the delivery of Maritime Training and Education. Attaining this internationally recognised standard for quality management systems, ensures that prospective students can be certain any training they receive across all of BIM’s training sites will be of a consistently high standard.

These accredited Seafood Training Programmes and workshops are available across all sectors of the Irish Seafood Industry. Whether you are a novice entrant looking to explore a new career path in the Fishing, Aquaculture or Retail and Processing sector, our courses will allow you to develop key skills in a specific area; we also provide skills development for existing members of the seafood industry to add value, both on an individual professional basis and to the overall seafood business.

Professional Development Professional Development

BIM collaborate with external organisations including Irish Business and Employers Confederation (Ibec), offering continuous professional development (CPD) courses, such as the Mid Management Development Programme; and the South East Technological University (SETU) Higher Diploma in Business in Fisheries & Aquaculture. We can help you and your team develop key skills with training for all sectors of the Irish Seafood Industry, from upskilling in your existing area, to exploring new career pathways for new entrants to the sector.

Learning Hub Learning Hub

In our Learning Hub you can access a series of videos which will cover topics such as, exploring new seafood business ideas, new market opportunities and innovative ways of working.

Visit our Learning Hub here

Funding Funding

You also may be eligible to apply for funding towards course fees and subsistence costs incurred when you undertake your training. See here for more details about our Seafood Funding Training scheme.


Seafood Training Programmes

Category

Programme Code

Programme Name

Awarding Body

Commercial Diver PG23986 Surface Supplied Diving Operations Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Commercial Diver PG23968 Commercial Scuba Diving Operations Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Engineering DTO-GES General Engineering Science 1 & 2 Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Engineering PG25370 Marine Engineering Processes and Operations Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Engineering PG25360 Fishing Vessel Engineer Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Processors and Retailers SKL-SHW Two Day Seafood HACCP Workshop BIM Certificate of Attendance Processors and Retailers PG24114 Certificate in Fishmonger Skills Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Processors and Retailers SKL – FHFI An Introduction to Fish Handling and Filleting BIM Certificate of Attendance Radio RAD-GOC Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) General Operators Certificate Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Radio RAD-ROC Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Restricted Operators Certificate Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Radio RAD-SRC Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) Short Range Certificate Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Safety Training STCW-UFPFF STCW Updated Training in Fire Prevention and Firefighting Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Safety Training STCW-UAFF Updated Training in Advanced Firefighting Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Safety Training STCW-MCAS STCW Medical Care Aboard Ship Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Safety Training SKL-BST Three Day Basic Safety Training Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Safety Training SKL-FAR First-Aid Responder Computer Placement Limited (CPL) Safety Training STCW-AFF Advanced Firefighting Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Safety Training STCW-EFA STCW Elementary First-Aid Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport (1/3 of BIM 3 Day Safety Card) Safety Training STCW-PST STCW Personal Survival Techniques Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport (1/3 of BIM 3 Day Safety Card) Safety Training STCW-PSSR STCW Personal Safety and Social Responsibility Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Safety Training STCW-MFA STCW Medical First-Aid Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Safety Training STCW-FPFF STCW Fire Prevention and Firefighting Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Safety Training DTO-EST Enhanced Safety Training Course Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Skippers and Crew SKL-DFP Deckhand Foundation Programme BIM Certificate of Attendance Skippers and Crew COC-SHL Deck Officer Second-Hand Limited Certificate of Competency (Fishing) Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Skippers and Crew COC-NCC Navigational Control Course (Fishing) Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Skippers and Crew COC-ENS Electronic Navigation Systems (Fishing) Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Skippers and Crew COC-SHF Deck Officer Second-Hand Full Certificate of Competency (Fishing) Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Skippers and Crew COC-SKF Deck Officer Skipper Full Certificate of Competency (Fishing) Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport Skippers and Crew DTO-PBP Passenger Boat Proficiency Marine Survey Office (MSO) - Department of Transport
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Quality Assurance Manual

Download the Quality Assurance Manual (V6)

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Quality Policy Statement

Download the Quality Policy Statement (pdf 175Kb)


For More Information

National Fisheries College of Ireland (Donegal)

Greencastle, Co Donegal

National Fisheries College of Ireland (Cork)

Castletownbere, Co Cork