Overview

The objective of the workforce development component is to support the growing mariculture industry in Alaska through education, learning, and skills development that are aligned with industry needs, are broadly accessible, and culturally responsive. The approach includes six goals that provide system development, program design, program implementation and sustainability.

1. Create a Mariculture Workforce Development Strategy to serve as a roadmap for meeting training needs of the mariculture workforce as the sector develops and grows.
2. Develop training materials and curriculum.
3. Create and support self-sustaining and inclusive education and training through online and in-person workshops, short courses, hands-on training, high school dual enrollment, and college programs.
4. Create a glidepath from training programs to a specific job through career awareness, outreach, and job placement programs, including a strategy to disseminate and provide outreach about the availability of training programs.
5. Support technology transfer and knowledge exchange.

Workforce development efforts will be long-lasting well beyond this federal award and designed to be self-sustaining. Economic benefits will be shared by coastal communities throughout Alaska where mariculture businesses are created, primarily in remote and rural Alaska with traditionally underserved communities.