The future of the local economy is tied to forward thinking, finding the right industries to pivot into that will take Santa Monica’s business community to the next level. Taking the first step to that level, the Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce hosted an event on the future of the "blue economy workforce" at Heal the Bay Aquarium March 22, with several speakers detailing how to get further involved in ocean-related professions.
The event was part of the newly-launched Chamber Talent Connect program, a collaboration between the Chamber and Santa Monica College (SMC), forging partnerships for SMC students and Santa Monica businesses.
Ocean-related "blue economy" professions include opportunities with robotics companies, deep sea farming and more areas within aquaculture and clean water. Chamber Director of Government Affairs Alex Brown stated that the blue ocean economy is "pretty vast" and is a "huge" industry throughout the Los Angeles area.
SMC’s aquaculture program is centered around two classes, "Aqua 1" which is an introduction to aquaculture and "Aqua 2" which is applications in aquaculture. In "Aqua 1," students will find the best practices for a future aquaculture industry "in the context of sustainability and the global climate crisis" and examine the ecological principles of organisms like shellfish and algae.
"Aqua 2," with classes taking place at Heal the Bay, sees students designing and building effective aquaculture systems for the hatching and rearing of a variety of aquatic species, as well as "effectively monitor aquaculture systems for efficiency and productivity."
"The target population for this program is students generally interested in the topics of aquaculture, food security and global food supply chains," SMC’s website states. "The program emphasizes workforce preparation at the interface of global climate change and sustainability. With consideration for environmental change, additionally, [the courses address] conservation and restoration practices for endangered species."
Heal the Bay Director of Operations and SMC Aqua 1 instructor Laura Rink stated at the event that the culmination of completing the two courses is to give students an opportunity to participate in summer internships at different aquaculture facilities, gaining hands-on experience.
"I’ve worked in the aquarium industry for 15 years now, and it is such a trade skill," Rink said. "But it’s never been really addressed in that way … this program really gives students [a] pathway into the workforce, job career, because they’re getting that hands-on trade skill that is really required. It’s allowing for more accessibility, it’s allowing for students who might not otherwise feel confident enough to enter this world [with] the skills [to] contribute to creating sustainable aquaculture and supporting our planet. It’s a beautiful thing."
SMC also gives students a chance to complete non credit certificate courses in sustainability roles such as organic aides, services technicians and sustainability assistants. The courses are free, both online and in-person, preparing for jobs within the blue ocean economy.
"What excites me is that for so long we have been so cautious with allowing anyone to do anything in the ocean … but if we do this right, there’s so many opportunities for us to use the oceans and heal the planet, reduce our carbon [and] solve our own problems," SMC Sustainability Manager Ferris Kawar said of the program.
For more information about SMC’s aquaculture program, visit their website.
