Training framework on Underwater Tecs as key enabler for blue careers development
The status quo of blue economy skills’ provision worldwide reveals significant gaps with current and future needs towards a sustainable & carbon neutral economy that is tech-oriented. To this end, technologies used in underwater (UW) missions and activities (both commercial & scientific) are vital for several critical blue economy sectors, such as Offshore renewable energy, Aquaculture, Marine biodiversity protection, UW Cultural Heritage, etc. A common denominator in such sectors is the lack of skilled personnel in using and deploying UW technologies in the context of twin (green/digital) transition, which are the key crossdisciplinary enabler for the above (and many more) sectors employing sustainable/climate neutral blue economy activities.
Motivated from these considerations, uBlueTec aims to set up, test and validate a triple transition training and skills development model (green, blue, digital skills). The model we propose is based on a participatory approach with durable partnerships among universities, VET providers, clusters and SMEs; all active members of blue economy value networks; and all valuable links in the foreseen value-chain of the uBlueTec skills-development model.
In this context, the chief objectives of uBlueTec are: a) Development of educational material and curriculum, linked to microcredentials, and enabling skills-building in state-of-the art UW technologies from a green/digital perspective. 2) Piloting the developed assets at HE & VET levels. 3) Establishment of a Hub on UW Tecs, as a permanent capacity-building structure nurturing the long-lasting collaboration of the involved stakeholders. 4) Deployment of recruitment platform for blue jobs offering online courses and facilitating demand-supply matching between current/future labour force and industries, while intelligently identifying and publishing the skills-gap at regional-national-EU levels. 5) Attraction of young talents in terms of Career Days and Entrepreneurial Bootcamps.
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