BUILDING PATHS TO ADDRESS LOOMING RETIREMENTS IN THE AQUACULTURE EXTENSION WORKFORCE THROUGH EDUCATION PARTNERSHIPS

A 2019 survey of Land and Sea Grant Aquaculture Extension professionals by  Faculty with Oregon Sea Grant, Kentucky State University and the University of Idaho  revealed that a generation of aquaculture extension professionals (specialists, educators, agents and administrators) in their 50s to 70s (nearly half the estimated current workforce) plan to retire in the next 10 years. Their departure could leave a skills gap if not addressed before this becomes a crisis. The projected departure of over half of the surveyed aquaculture professionals creates an urgency to retain, increase professional development opportunities and attract people into the sector, particularly when the US government is boosting  research and partnerships  funding to help increase USA capacity to culture, process and market farm fish, shellfish and seaweed. The survey found that  a  nearly a third of  the aquaculture Extension workforce are  middle-aged  (35-50 years-old) but, only have five or fewer years of experience in the field. Twenty-five percent of the survey respondents are women, with the majority self-reporting as between 35 - 50 years-old.  Survey participants emphasized a need to define aquaculture as a career that goes beyond traditional seafood farming . That aquaculture is increasingly complex and integrates the sciences, the art of seafood culture and human behaviors.   The survey revealed that aquaculture extension professionals are increasingly  asked  to develop programs that aid in navigating regulations, planning, business and understanding human perceptions. Therefore, Extension professionals are needed from other fields to serve as specialists and as part of integrated teams. To attract new hires, the aquaculture profession needs to emphasize the variety of skills and employment options that a career in aquaculture affords beyond traditional oyster and fish farming . For example, law, business, planning, engineering, research, water resources, restoration ecology, education, social science, food science, pharmaceutical development, sustainability specialist, those versed multitrophic food systems, environmental science, social media and occupational health are part of a growing field of skills and professionals needed in aquaculture. This requires the integration of many disciplines and thus affords  options for  a breadth of aquaculture- based job opportunities.

Increasingly, Sea Grant and Land Grant Educators around the nation are being asked by schools, science centers, agencies and Extension to develop partnerships in learning about and from aquaculture.  A joint effort between Sea Grant (SG) and Land Grant (LG) Education and Extension to leverage one another's expertise can address some of the critical pending workforce  demographic  needs and  skill gaps revealed in the 2019 survey. This joint effort includes educating, training, problem solving and mentoring a workforce better prepared to enter and be successful in aquaculture and other marine related fields.   Extension has built long standing trust  through science-based aquaculture learning programs for stakeholders . Aquaculture extension specialists bring keen awareness of stakeholder needs, including traditional and emerging knowledge and skill requirements for entry-level to mid-career and senior positions. Educators' bring expertise in curriculum correlation and development, innovative tailored learning and  the ability to scaffold learning to ensure STEM foundations such as science,  mathematics and communication skills. Educators also have strong relationships with aquariums and informal learning centers who work together in providing lifelong learning addressing aquaculture messaging and experiences. Thus, Educators  can offer powerful partnerships with aquaculture Extension specialists . SG and LG Extension and Education  can  use their partnership building opportunities in schools, industry, public agencies and NGOs.  These partnerships also present opportunities to: 1 )  collaborate  in learning and addressing negative public perceptions on some aspects of aquaculture and 2) use aquaculture-based learning as a mechanism  to  better serve and increase the role of t hose underserved and underrepresented  population  in STEM fields.

Aquaculture Education and Extension can and will need to intersect to foster the exchange of knowledge, especially in the view of the high percentage of retirement from the workforce.  As the National Research Council's, 2000 report indicates, "Although employment opportunities in academic research institutions are decreasing in many scientific fields, the demand for scientists in government, industry, and teaching is outpacing the availability of qualified individuals."  This seems to be specifically relevant to aquaculture and brings to the forefront the question of how we ensure that the pathway s for  aquaculture Extension and Education workforce professional develop ment and  students to pursue aquaculture  are available and inviting.