Climate change poses a major threat to the livelihoods of working waterfront communities around the world, prompting people to search for new career opportunities as many historical fisheries decline. In response to this vulnerability, aquaculture is emerging as an economic diversification strategy for working waterfront communities. With its ample coastline and access to resource-rich waters, Maine is a state that has long been reliant on wild-catch fisheries as an economic lifeline. Today, young people in the state find it increasingly difficult to enter wild-catch fisheries which has led members of the fishing industry to seek economic diversification in the form of aquaculture. However, as interest in Maine aquaculture grows, there is a need for strategic development of an aquaculture education pipeline that can support a skilled and reliable workforce. To create this pipeline, education and workforce initiatives must reach people at various stages of their education, from K-8 to high school to post-secondary.
Utilizing multiple funding streams to support a suite of projects, the Maine Aquaculture Innovation Center (MAIC) has worked with partners to create a strategic portfolio of aquaculture workforce and education initiatives that reach a wide range of participants. Such projects include: developing aquaculture curriculum resources for grades 4-6, working with high school students to deliver “Exploring Aquaculture Careers” classes, creating pre-apprenticeship opportunities for high school students to gain experience on aquaculture farms, and developing the first two-year Aquaculture Technology program in the state of Maine in collaboration with Washington County Community College. These initiatives are designed to be complementary and to target different age groups. To organize and execute these projects, MAIC works with partners across the state who are involved with aquaculture education and workforce development to ensure that programming meets state-wide industry and educational standards. Here we provide insight into the development of this strategic portfolio of aquaculture workforce and education initiatives, including the scope of each program/project. We also discuss how these initiatives are designed to support students along a pathway toward aquaculture careers while remaining flexible to the diverse needs and interests of various individuals.