New head of aquaculture at leading UK training body Lantra

With the news that the environmental training body Lantra is taking over administration of the Women in Scottish Aquaculture (WiSA) network, comes another new development, in the creation of an entirely new role focused on aquaculture.

Lantra, the leading provider of training for land-based and environmental industries in the UK and Ireland, is now set to expand its reach into the aquaculture sector through the appointment of Jillian Couto-Phoenix, former Head of Skills and Talent at the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC).

Since joining SAIC in August 2022, Couto-Phoenix was responsible for leading the training and people-development programmes at the innovation centre, while also being closely involved with the WiSA network. Her role involved working closely with aquaculture professionals, colleges and universities on skills initiatives, as well as developing support for internships, graduates and master’s students.

In her new position, Couto-Phoenix will help to support a smooth transition for WiSA, as well as focusing on developing relationships between UK aquaculture employers and Lantra to identify skills gaps and guide the development of training for the future workforce needed by the aquaculture sector.

“Joining Lantra is an exciting next step, allowing me to build on my achievements to date at SAIC and continue working in aquaculture," Couto-Phoenix said.

"We have an abundance of talent, whom we must continue to nurture to ensure they have the skills and qualifications to match sector requirements as they evolve to embrace new technology and tackle new challenges. I’m looking forward to supporting both employers and employees as part of my new role," she added.