Aquaculture programme a good fit for aquatic fan

“My dad used to work in the aquaculture industry, so it feels like I’m following in his footsteps,” Hiroki says.

In 2018 Hiroki enrolled in a two-year programme which offered plenty of hands-on training, rather than class-based learning, he then decided to continue and complete the degree.

“I actually really enjoy studying,” he says. “In Nepal, where there is a lot of lecture-based learning, I was always at the bottom of my class.”

“The programme here was more practical,” Hiroki says, “which definitely helped me learn better.”

Hiroki also found the internships each semester extremely beneficial, as he not only got real-world experience, but he could build connections in the industry, secure a job, and see what he liked and didn’t like.

“My first internship was two weeks on a salmon farm in Stewart Island,” he says. “It was such a cool place. The weather was good, and I travelled around on an electric bike.”

He has also worked on other salmon farms around the country, choosing these opportunities because they align with the prolific rainbow trout farming industry in Nepal.

“I have gained a lot of confidence over the years,” he says. “I am certain this is what I want to do, and I already know what I’m going to learn. I can connect the dots and see that these skills are beneficial to me.”

Hiroki has recently completed his degree and has since applied for the Postgraduate Diploma in Sustainable Aquaculture(external link).

He currently works fulltime at Skretting, a global aquafeed producer, and will continue working whilst studying, thanks to the flexible and distance learning options available.

Eventually Hiroki will share his technical expertise with the aquaculture industry in Nepal. Graduating with a Bachelor of Aquaculture and Marine Conservation(external link) has given him confidence in his ability to make a difference.

“We don’t have the technical experts in Nepal, and I do believe I can now fill that gap.”

If you're interested in studying Aquaculture at Te Pūkenga NMIT, be sure to take a look at our website(external link) for more information.