Pictured from left: Scottish Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon MSP, Nicole McAleer, M&S Head of Trade Sue Campbell, and M&S Head of Agriculture & Fisheries Steve McLean.
Photo: Scottish Sea Farms.
Nicole McAleer, a Processing Supervisor at Scottish Sea Farms, has won the inaugural Emerging Talent award at the M&S Select Farm Awards 2024.
The award, announced at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh on 20 June 2024, recognizes individuals aged 35 and under who are exceptional role models in their sector.
McAleer, originally from Omagh, Northern Ireland, joined Scottish Sea Farms over four years ago as a Trainee Processing Supervisor and now oversees the South Shian processing facility in Oban, which has the capacity to process up to 140 tonnes of salmon per shift.
"Considering I had no fish background whatsoever – my dad is a chicken farmer – before working at Scottish Sea Farms, or of running a facility of any type, to be nominated by my boss, four years in, was a really good feeling," McAleer said in a Scottish Sea Farms press release. "To then go on to win the category is further recognition that I’m doing something right. It’s like a big pat on the back."
"This job isn’t for the faint hearted, it’s ever-changing and you just have to get stuck in. But we’ve got an amazing team and I now see my long-term future in salmon farming," McAleer added.
Her manager, Donald MacAulay, who nominated McAleer said: ‘"Nicole’s commitment to the job, and her appetite to learn and grow, have been instrumental in shaping the calm, capable Processing Supervisor that she is today. This award win underlines that it’s not only Scottish Sea Farms that recognises the value of Nicole’s hard work but our customers too."
This award is one of several accolades Scottish Sea Farms has received from M&S over their 20-year relationship, adding to a total of 13 M&S Select Farm awards, including Innovation and Low Carbon Farming Pioneer.