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The Westport Deep Sea Fishing School is the leading provider of new entrants into the NZ fishing industry with around 83 % of our students placed into full time employment in any given year and several thousand over the 31 years the school has been operating.
Peter Maich and his team operate a residential program created around practical training that builds skills and experience aimed at placing our students into full time employment. These programs are based on industry created and NZQA approved qualifications and fully supported by our leading seafood companies, Sanford, Sealord and Talleys.

We can get you working in an industry that pays its new entrant starting wages of $50,000.00 per year with several months off on full pay.
Our part is training, and skills and your part is a winning attitude and a desire to learn and work.
We are supported by New Zealand’s biggest seafood companies, Sanford, Sealord and Talleys all employ our students directly from the school. Over 95 were placed into full time employment in 2021.

We hope this site provides enough information for you to make the choice of coming to Westport and the WDSFS.

%

of Students into work in 2021

Qualifications completed

What our students say

“When I completed the 12-week course, I got a job working for a big Kiwi fishing company on one of their Deep Sea trawlers. I went from being unemployed to earning $50,000 a year.”
Anaru, age 24, Waikato

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I was at school. My Aunty knew someone who’d completed the Westport course and thought fishing would be good for me. I’ve never looked back. I love the job.”
James, 20, Nelson

“The course was a changing point for me. I’d never left home or lived anywhere else, but coming to Westport was amazing. Everyone on the course supports each other to do well. I’ve even learnt to cook!”
Tawera, 18, Hastings