One of the hurdles for a sustainable off-bottom oyster aquaculture industry, not only in the northern Gulf of Mexico but across the United States, is limited availability of skilled employees. As such, workforce development has become a primary initiative throughout the industry.
In 2023, the Commercial Oyster Aquaculture Sector Training (COAST) program for the northern Gulf of Mexico was launched. This program is a workforce development initiative aimed to recruit workers to the oyster aquaculture industry and provide them with training to meet industry demand. Current funding allows for the teaching of 10 apprentices over the course of two years in various aspects of oyster farming, including production and rearing, business management, food safety, and serving. Participating businesses from Alabama and Mississippi receive a portion of the apprentice’s wages to support training efforts.
This presentation will provide a one-year update on the COAST program, including plans for program development and enhancement (Fig. 1), general logistics, business and apprentice recruitment, an update on participants, and challenges encountered.