The city of Constanța in Romania hosted on 23 May, 2024, the workshop "Beyond the Waves: Empowering Through Blue Skills". Organised by the Romanian National Hub and supported by the Black Sea Assistance Mechanism (BSAM), this workshop was part of the Common Maritime Agenda for the Black Sea (CMA) in my country event series. Its aim was to gather stakeholders from across the country to address the evolving needs and trends in the blue economy, focusing on essential skills for sectors such as maritime transport, fisheries, aquaculture, renewable energy, marine biotechnology, and coastal tourism.
The workshop brought together over 20 participants, including representatives from educational institutions, national and regional authorities, civil society organisations, private companies, and research organisations.
During the dynamic focus group session, participants discussed 15 well-established skills crucial for the blue economy, exploring their relevance across sectors. The sessions identified skills essential to each sector, including environmental justice, sustainability, adaptability, digitalisation and AI integration, creativity, and strategic planning.
Key outcomes of the event included a deeper understanding of stakeholders' needs and interests in the development of blue skills in Romania, as well as the identification of essential competences for the Romanian maritime sectors.
The event fostered a collaborative environment with concrete follow up actions to be put in place, strengthening the connection between the National Hub and stakeholders.
Looking forward, participants concluded the event by emphasising the need for further development of blue skills in Romania. They proposed initiatives such as training programs, awareness raising campaigns, and practical implementation actions among various sectors and stakeholders.
By fostering a culture of continuous learning and collaboration, the "Beyond the Waves: Empowering Through Blue Skills" workshop laid the groundwork for a modern and competitive blue economy in Romania, addressing existing gaps in the labour market and ensuring sustainable growth.
