A study trip to Ísafjörður: “High demand for university graduates and strong competition”

A group of students from Reykjavik University traveled to Ísafjörður last Friday on a study trip organized by Fisheries Iceland (SFS). Among other things, the group received presentations about the operations of companies Háafell, Kerecis, and Arctic Fish.

The trip was organized in connection with Vitinn, an idea competition and joint project between RU and SFS that has been held annually since 2015. The competition is open to all RU students, across departments, at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

The trip was a great success, and the participants were enthusiastic about the companies and the presentations that were offered.

Karítas Líf Ríkharðsdóttir, student of high-tech engineering:

“We visited some very interesting companies, and what stood out to me the most was learning all sorts of things about both fish farming and production. Personally, I didn’t know what it was really like or how much development had taken place. I found it particularly interesting to see that.”

Ingólfur Ísak Kristinsson, student of financial engineering:

“The boat trip, where we went out to Háafell and got to learn about its operations, definitely stood out. It was, honestly, a unique experience. I hadn’t really realized how interesting and important the fishing industry is as a field, or how many opportunities it offers.”

Alexander Logi Jónsson, student of financial engineering:

“It was incredibly interesting to see the robots working at Arctic Fish. They also explained to us what is working well and what isn’t, and what could be improved from a data perspective. We are, of course, a data-driven nation. There are clear opportunities to do things better, and it was interesting to see what kinds of projects one could get involved in.”

Fannar Snævar Hauksson, business student:

“I hadn’t really realized how many opportunities there are in the fishing industry. We got to see properly what is available now. It’s not just for fishermen.”

Matthías Jens Ármann, business student:

“What perhaps surprised me the most about this trip was how much demand there is for university graduates and how much competition there is when it comes to the fishing industry.”

Berglind Hrönn Úlfarsdóttir, law student:

“What surprised me the most had to do with farmed salmon—how much the companies are trying to do this in the cleanest and best way possible. I knew so little about how it actually worked.”

Brynhildur L. Kristjánsdóttir, law student:

“It was also amazing how honest they were about all the problems they are dealing with. They weren’t trying to sugarcoat anything. And then there was Kerecis—what an incredible operation they have there, which I knew very little about.”

SFS looking forward to continue working with RU

Also joining the trip were Rúnar Gauti Gunnarsson, President of SFHR and a graduate student in corporate finance, and Eiður Áki Arnarsson, a student of economics and finance.

According to Þorsteinn Másson, a fish farming specialist at SFS, there was great satisfaction with the visit from the RU students.

“It was truly a pleasure to welcome the group from RU to the Westfjords, where they visited Háafell, Kerecis, and Arctic Fish, among others, and got to experience the operations firsthand. The students were enthusiastic, and it was great to see their interest in what is happening here in the Westfjords.

We at the Fisheries Iceland are grateful to RU for making the journey west and taking the time to learn about what is happening here in the Westfjords. We look forward to continuing our work with the university to connect the business community with the workforce of the future,” said Þorsteinn.