EDUCATION & CAPACITY BUILDING

Supporting the upskilling of the labour force to create new career opportunities and foster the growth of the blue economy in Europe

Empowering the next generation of blue professionals ​

At SUBMARINER, we understand the critical role of education and capacity building for unlocking the full potential of the sustainable blue economy. Our projects and initiatives empower Europe’s next generation of ocean innovators to drive the transition towards a sustainable blue economy.


A key aspect of our work is fostering collaboration between universities and the blue sector, nurturing entrepreneurial spirit among recent graduates and supporting them in acquiring transversal skills to pair with scientific knowledge. Additionally, we are committed to raising awareness among pupils and students about the vast array of opportunities within the blue economy to ensure that the next generation is well-prepared to navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities in the marine and maritime sectors.

Discover our education projects

By providing tailored training, mentorship, and networking opportunities, we aim to equip youth, women and students with the necessary skills to thrive in the blue economy

Training to meet the needs of the blue economy

We recognise the importance of training young people and providing professional growth opportunities for established professionals to help them thrive in the blue economy. We are working to bridge the gap between formal educational requirements and company needs to propel the blue economy forward. 

The SUBMARINER Network is committed to educating and training future aquaculture practitioners and entrepreneurs, including retraining fishermen and offering apprenticeship, vocational, and further education programs in areas such as blue bio entrepreneurship. Beyond education, we promote development opportunities for existing professionals. Through capacity-building initiatives, such as learning labs and mentorship programs, we place a special focus on women, to promote leadership and business development opportunities in the blue economy. 

Education & upskilling resources hub

Our specialists have put together a collection of publications, additional relevant projects, tools, and resources on the topic of education, youth and women in the blue economy education 

Towards a Strong and Sustainable EU Algae Sector
Towards a Strong and Sustainable EU Algae Sector
A Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions
Career Guide: Blue Economy jobs for young people
Career Guide - Blue Economy Jobs for Young People
The objective of the Blue Generation Project is to inspire and engage these youth between 15 and 29 years to pursue a sustainable career in one of the Blue Economy growth areas: coastal tourism, aquaculture,...
Pact for Skills
Pact for Skills
The Pact for Skills aims to get public and private organisations together and encourage them to make concrete commitments to upskilling and reskilling adults.
Ocean Multi Use Course
Beyond Offshore Wind: Ocean Multi-Use Course
First MOOC (massive online open course) on the topic of ocean multi-use!
Offshore renewable energies card game
Card Game To Discover ORE Job Profiles
FLORES project card game released
Guidelines to Promote Life-Long Learning in Offshore Renewables
Guidelines to Promote Life-Long Learning in Offshore Renewables
The EU-funded project “Forward Looking at the Offshore Renewable Energies” (FLORES) feeds into the European Pact for Skills. It promotes a strong large-scale partnership to foster upskilling and reskilling...
Line mussels – in the fight against eutrophication and as sustainable food
Course on the Nitrogen Cycle and Low Trophic Aquaculture
In this course, the students learn about the nitrogen cycle, Liebig’s law of the Minimum and the importance of nitrogen leaching from agriculture for the marine and coastal ecosystems. In the experimental...
The changing Arctic – the biodiversity of the polar seas
Course on Biodiversity and Ecology
In this course, the students learn about the importance of biodiversity, as part of focus on Ecology. The course covers a total of five modules, focused Arctic ecosystems. Individual modules can also be...
Restoration of oysters in the Limfjord - bioinformatics and DNA sequencing
Restoration of oysters in the Limfjord - bioinformatics and DNA sequencing
During the course, the students work with a concrete example of the conservation of species and their habitats, while at the same time being presented with an example of a resource that we would like to...

Latest blue education news

Still have questions? We have answers

Data is not yet available for all Blue Economy sectors in the EU, nor all regions. However, from the available data, the Blue Economy (BuE) is still a traditionally male-dominated economy in almost all its established and emerging sectors. Women represent only 29% of the overall workforce in the BuE industry and 20% of the workforce of national maritime authorities in Member States. Furthermore, we know that women in the BuE are in the lowest- paid, least-protected, and lowest-status positions, with their contributions being often overlooked or undervalued.

The gathering of the missing data and the need for gender equality to be mainstreamed in appropriate legislation and policy initiatives to promote the creation of more and better employment for women are some of the main goals of the WIN-BIG project (https://winbigproject.eu/). You can also help the project ensure a gender- equal sustainable BuE in many different ways. Create a free profile on the BlueBioMatch platform, and join our working group to know more: https://bluebiomatch.hivebrite.com/topics/40850/feed

Want to know more?

Reach out to our expert

Alberto Terenzi, Senior Project Manager

Email Alberto

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