The project aimed to identify and map sustainable Blue Economy opportunities relevant to VET, enhance awareness among teachers and learners, and equip them with tools for skills development aligned with circular and blue economic models. Our goals included creating a pilot Think Tank on the Blue Economy for VET; adapting an existing circular skills self-assessment tool to the Blue Economy; and designing an educational game to raise awareness of career opportunities in the sector. All objectives were closely aligned with EU priorities on climate action and skills development. The project not only achieved all planned objectives within the proposed timeline, but also went beyond, delivering additional dissemination events and outputs that enhanced its impact and reach.
The Blue Circle project was developed to address the increasing skills gap in the Blue Economy sector, particularly in the context of the EU’s Sustainable Blue Economy strategy and the European Green Deal. The transition towards a more sustainable and circular economy is creating new job opportunities, yet a lack of appropriate training and skills continues to limit access to these roles. Vocational Education and Training (VET) is key to closing this gap. This project aimed to map existing and emerging opportunities in the sustainable Blue Economy for VET and to raise awareness among educators and learners through gamification. The project also responded to a clear need for cross-sectoral collaboration and innovation in sustainability education. All participating partners are active in coastal regions and strongly connected to the Blue Economy, ensuring relevance and impact at regional and European levels.