Line of action:

Status:

Execution date:

General:

To strengthen and promote networking, the transfer of experiences and collaboration between the scientific community, training centres and the business sector in terms of training, research and innovation, in order to strengthen the competitiveness of the sector around sustainable aquaculture.

Specific:

1. Promote networking, coordination between R+D+i agents and companies and facilitate the exchange and transfer of knowledge.

2. Identify the needs and opportunities for improvement in current training programs.

3. Involve the business sector in training and specialisation, updating of vocational training, new professional skills and lifelong learning.

4. To develop innovative practices, acquisition of new professional skills and education on the environmental impact related to aquaculture activity.

5. Dissemination and social participation.

Activities

1. Implementation of the Network of training, R+D+i and productive sector in the field of sustainable aquaculture
2. Observatory Implementation
3. Analysis of the state of training, mismatch with the productive sector and market forecasting
   1. Study of information sources
   2. Sector Perception Study
4. Workshop: crossing formation and market – short and long-term updates
5. Development of market-adapted skills development pilot projects: Initiatives to promote the skills of aquaculture workers
6. Development of pilot projects to promote market-adapted skills: Initiatives to promote skills for entrepreneurship
7. Dissemination actions: Communication Plan
8. Outreach actions: communication materials

The REDAQUA project has been aimed at identifying mechanisms to strengthen networking and cooperation as a mechanism to improve the state of training and professionalization of the national aquaculture sector.

The constitution of a work network, the REDAQUA Training and R+D+i Network, has been promoted as a cooperation mechanism with which to contribute to professionalization and training in the field of aquaculture and, with it, its competitiveness and sustainable development. This network has a total of 21 members, representatives of the research-academic and industrial fields. The network has two working groups – Training and professional development and R+D+i – that have identified the priority lines of action to be developed.

The REDAQUA Observatory has been created as a tool for tracking opportunities in the training and professional field of the aquaculture sector in all its areas of specialization. This observatory’s mission is to monitor job offers and demands; the link between these and training opportunities and the promotion of entrepreneurship; tracking opportunities for funding and European territorial cooperation; and the dissemination of all this information in a clear and timely manner. Likewise, and as a complementary tool to the Observatory, an online job bank has been created to collect updated information on existing employment and training opportunities in aquaculture in the national territory. Through this virtual exchange, the aim is to promote the appropriate connection between personnel with appropriate training in aquaculture and the labor demands of companies in the sector (Employment Exchange), in addition to giving visibility to the existing training offer and specialization courses (Training Exchange).

On the other hand, an analysis of the state of training in the national aquaculture sector has been carried out, materialized in a diagnostic study of the current reality of aquaculture from the point of view of professionalization and training. This study contemplates the preparation of a map of the training supply and labor demand in the aquaculture sector and the identification of the weaknesses, threats, strengths and opportunities of the current system. To carry out this study, a wide-ranging consultative process was carried out – 144 entities linked to the sector (academic, scientific-research, and industry) participated. In addition, five sectoral participatory workshops were organised and a bibliographic search and consultation of references related to curricula and training was carried out.

A workshop was organized to establish a meeting point between academia and industry. It addressed the specific training needs of the sector, with an emphasis on collaboration mechanisms to promote external internships and dual training programmes. Likewise, two webinars were materialized, in which a large participation was recorded:

• Webinar Networking and Synergies: The Contribution of Vocational and University Training to Sustainable Aquaculture.
• Webinar The involvement of the industry in training as a key element in the sustainable and competitive development of aquaculture.

In addition, a total of three telematic training seminars have been developed, in which topics such as digital transformation, sustainable management, circular economy or aquaculture tourism, among others, have been addressed. Likewise, a training session aimed at entrepreneurship as an innovation mechanism has been developed. These seminars have highlighted the potential of new methodologies and training initiatives and the necessary involvement of the industry in the training process.

• Training seminar The digital and innovative transformation of aquaculture: the path to sustainable aquaculture 4.0
• Training seminar Sustainable aquaculture as an instrument for economic development
• Training seminar Another point of view: the most hidden aquaculture
• Entrepreneurship as a source of innovation in aquaculture. Aquaculture as an Entrepreneurial Option

Among the most significant conclusions of the webinars and seminars held, the following stand out:

1. The official training offer in aquaculture in the Spanish territory mainly comprises 13 professional qualifications, accredited through 4 Vocational Training degrees and 8 postgraduate or master’s degrees from different geographical regions.
2. The higher education training in aquaculture developed in the different regions of the Spanish territory is of quality. This training involves universities, vocational training institutes, technology centres and aquaculture industry at different levels of education.
3. The multi, trans and interdisciplinary approach to aquaculture is an instrument with enormous growth potential that is currently under-encouraged. It is essential to instruct interdisciplinary students, who integrate heterogeneous teams that favor the capacity for resolution, creativity, inventiveness and a strategic vision of the problems posed.
4. There is an important market niche around specific training in aquaculture. The current formation of regional cooperatives and producer associations is insufficient and requires experts to establish adequate teaching plans in each specific subject.
5. It is necessary to reinforce training on: specific methodologies for certain crops, technologies involved in aquaculture 4.0 and in the sustainable management of aquatic ecosystems and the circular economy, business and economic management of aquaculture companies, aqualogy, aquaponics, recirculation systems and animal health and welfare.
6. There is an upward trend in the recruitment of professional profiles with university training in life sciences or postgraduate degrees, especially for the occupation of positions of responsibility such as director of operations, technical director, heads or heads of sections, production managers, head of R+D+i and quality managers or managers.
7. The main challenges demanded in the aquaculture sector are: absence of a business network in the field of aquaculture, administrative obstacles, shortage of the number of training internships and in the exchange of knowledge business-research-training.
8. The low rate of reciprocity on the part of the aquaculture industry, aquariums and aquaculture training centres demonstrates the need for an ad hoc management and collaboration entity for a definition of joint work and the drafting of proposals and initiatives by all the competent bodies in the aquaculture sector.
9. The analysis of the skills and curricular profiles in demand shows the extensive need for training internships.

On the other hand, for the dissemination of the project, specific promotional and communication material has been designed that collects information related to the project, with which to give visibility to the actions developed and to the initiative itself. In addition, in the process of implementation, various leading media in the aquaculture sector published information related to the project thanks to the eleven press releases sent.