BlueEDU and the aquaculture learners

The aquaculture workforce development challenge

Most of the fin-fish produced in Northern and Southern Europe are reared in marine cages. Farms need to be managed and maintained by a well-motivated and up to date workforce. Through their dedication and initiative, the industry can advance, grow and remain profitable.

However, aquaculture technology and equipment is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Computerised systems for environmental monitoring, fish feeding, stock surveillance and monitoring are now well established. Cage farming systems have been getting larger and in some cases moving further off shore, to benefit from unpolluted, disease free waters.

Unsurprisingly, these advances have raised the level of knowledge and skills required by fish husbandry operatives and the site managers responsible for fish health, feeding and monitoring. As technology and production methods evolve, the recruitment and updating of staff becomes increasingly challenging.

Some of those wishing to enter the industry have access to a national education system and can gain a respected qualification, prior to seeking employment. Others are less fortunate and need to access flexible work based training to ‘learn whilst they earn’ after they have entered aquaculture employment. This is often lacking and commonly the company based training provided to ‘bridge the gap’ does not lead to a recognised national qualification. This can make career progression more difficult. Consequently, compared to other industries, the European aquaculture workforce remains relatively under qualified.

Most of the fin-fish produced in Northern and Southern Europe are reared in marine cages. Farms need to be managed and maintained by a well-motivated and up to date workforce. Through their dedication and initiative, the industry can advance, grow and remain profitable.

However, aquaculture technology and equipment is becoming increasingly sophisticated. Computerised systems for environmental monitoring, fish feeding, stock surveillance and monitoring are now well established. Cage farming systems have been getting larger and in some cases moving further off shore, to benefit from unpolluted, disease free waters.

Unsurprisingly, these advances have raised the level of knowledge and skills required by fish husbandry operatives and the site managers responsible for fish health, feeding and monitoring. As technology and production methods evolve, the recruitment and updating of staff becomes increasingly challenging.

Some of those wishing to enter the industry have access to a national education system and can gain a respected qualification, prior to seeking employment. Others are less fortunate and need to access flexible work based training to ‘learn whilst they earn’ after they have entered aquaculture employment. This is often lacking and commonly the company based training provided to ‘bridge the gap’ does not lead to a recognised national qualification. This can make career progression more difficult. Consequently, compared to other industries, the European aquaculture workforce remains relatively under qualified.

The BlueEDU partnership

The Aquaculture Sector Skills Alliance (SSA) funded under the Erasmus+ programme was established during the summer of 2016.  Its mission is to help industry and education and training providers to address the workforce development challenge summarised above.

The Norwegian University for Science and Technology (NTNU) lead the project, working with partners from Scotland, Greece and the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers (FEAP) in Belgium. As the ‘industry umbrella organisation’, FEAP are a key partner and they will mobilise the support and assistance of their producer organisation members.

What could the BlueEDU partnership do for learners?

BlueEDU will complete an investigative project, between December 2016 and the EO November 2018. More flexible and accessible aquaculture qualification pathways will be defined and ultimately developed. This will help future learners to access the courses and qualifications most suited to their circumstances and ambitions.

More specifically, BlueEDU will offer learners the following benefits:

  • Greater awareness of the fish farming courses and qualifications available in each BlueEDU country and their equivalencies.
  • An overview of European fish farming qualifications relevant to the cage farming fish husbandry and site manager occupational levels.
  • Improved definitions of the knowledge and practical skills cage farming husbandry staff and site managers require.
  • More flexible and accessible courses and qualifications made available to work based learners on cage farms.
  • Definitions of the knowledge, skills and qualifications needed to progress from cage farming husbandry to site manager level.
  • Insight to the receptiveness of work based learners to the use of ICT and learning technologies within their training programme.

Which European countries are involved?

There are 12 European countries to be investigated by BlueEDU.

The work will begin in Northern Europe, where salmon and rainbow trout farming dominate, including; Norway, Scotland, Ireland, Faroes, Iceland and Finland.

It will conclude in Southern Europe, where the sea bream and sea bass are the main species farmed, including; Greece, Spain, Croatia, Italy, France and Cyprus.

How can you help the BlueEDU partnership to help you?

If you are working on a cage farm as a husbandry operative or farm site manager and undertaking any form of learning and development in aquaculture, we would welcome your involvement. We wish to gather information from learners on their education and training experiences and preferences. We would be very grateful if you could also encourage your peers to get involved.

The investigative process will provide learners the opportunity to provide their views and to answer surveys on their education and training methods, anonymously.

How is the industry involved?

The industry will be consulted through structured interviews with key senior managers, focus groups linked to education and training demonstrations and questionnaire surveys. Quantitative data will be gathered on the skills and education and training needs for cage farming husbandry operatives and supervisors.

Staff at all levels of the fish producing companies will be offered the opportunity to provide their views and to answer surveys, anonymously, to reveal:

  • The aquaculture knowledge and practical skills that companies require of their husbandry staff and supervisors.
  • The anticipated impact of technological advances on the future knowledge and skills needs of the husbandry and supervisors.
  • The current and emerging aquaculture knowledge and skills gaps at company, national and European level.
  • The readiness of industry and education and training providers to adopt new training methods to improve work based training and accessibility.

BlueEDU contribution to Erasmus+ Aims

  • Modernising aquaculture Vocational Education and Training (VET) across Europe.
  • Enhancing Vocational Education and Training (VET) as a first choice, which is Priority 3 for the New Skills Agenda for Europe.
  • Deploying European Qualifications Framework (EQF) to enable different national qualifications in aquaculture.

What happens next when the investigation has finished?

The supply and demand data gathered and described above will be analysed. The results will be compiled with in a National and European level analysis to identify industry educations and training priorities. The available education and training supply can then be related to demand to establish the development priorities. Ultimately, the output will inform a report and proposal for improvements to aquaculture education and training that will include:

  • Additional aquaculture qualifications or modifications needed to address cage farming skills gaps identified in the BlueEDU countries.
  • Improvements to the quality and accessibility of work based training through the application of learning technologies and a revitalised partnership with industry.
  • Recognition of equivalent qualifications and the proposed harmonisation of qualification pathways.
  • Recommended collaborative groupings of countries with compatible qualification systems and a will to work together to improve aquaculture education, training and qualifications.
  • The final report and proposal will be used to inform future bids for aquaculture education and training development projects. Opportunities for productive collaboration that have been identified and defined will be targeted.