Participants at the first BlueEdu meeting in Brussels

BlueEdu is two-year EU Erasmus+ Sector Skills Alliance project led by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim. Other partners are The Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP), The University of Stirling (UK), Guri Kunna VET School (Norway), Pisces Learning Innovations Ltd (UK), and Aquark (Greece).

The overall goal is to identify skills gaps within the European aquaculture workforce, evaluate education and training demand and supply, and establish industry and education and training providers’ receptiveness to innovative delivery methods. It will specifically focus on marine cage based rearing systems and technology across 12 partner countries that face many of the same skills development challenges, irrespective of the different fish species farmed in northern and southern Europe.

The outcomes of the analysis will be disseminated to stakeholders, supported by a proposed action plan for future ‘aquaculture VET Innovation and the harmonisation of qualifications’, catalysing a new Strategic Alliance between northern and southern European aquaculture interests and their VET sector.

John Bostock of the Sustainable Aquaculture Research Group in Stirling is leading the workpackage "Analysis and investigations of existing studies and research based data on skills gaps in aquaculture industry and VET supply."