SEArica Conference on Blue Skills

 Organised with the support of the Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions

Monday 23 May 14h00-16h00 (Brussels time)

Please find HERE the recording of the meeting

A competitive, resilient, and socially fair blue economy needs highly qualified and skilled professionals. Yet today, many blue economy sectors have difficulties finding the right people, which hampers their growth. Within the shift towards a sustainable blue economy approach lie great opportunities for maritime and island regions. To seize these opportunities and to make the sustainable transition as well as generational renewal a success, a revolution in blue skills is needed.

The European Commission has launched the Pact for Skills, a shared engagement model for skills development in Europe. Signatories of the Pact are strongly encouraged to translate their engagement into concrete commitments on upskilling and reskilling. These commitments will bring the key principles of the Pact to life: 

• Pact for skills for offshore renewable energy
• Upskilling shipbuilding and maritime technology workers in Europe

EU maritime regions are supporting these actions to solve this mismatch and:

• reduce skills gap between education offer and labour market needs
• improve communication and cooperation between education and industry
• improve the attractiveness and awareness of career opportunities in the blue economy
• improve the ocean literacy culture at the basis of it all

The SEArica conference aims to bring together representatives from EU coastal regions, stakeholders from maritime territories, EU Commission officials, Members of the EU Parliament, and Young Ocean ambassadors to discuss about needed actions in terms of Blue Skills and the implementation of the many initiatives and proposals that are currently being put forward. 

Please find HERE the recording of the meeting