Collaborators in the seafood and other marine industries
have completed a maritime workforce development plan to address a growing
number of shortages in their industries and are now working on funding sources
to activate the plan.
The announcement on June 10 came from the University of
Alaska Fairbanks, where the fisheries, seafood and Maritime Initiative Industry
Advisory Council produced the plan. The two-year effort comes in response to
growing concern over the graying of leadership in the commercial seafood
industry in Alaska, plus expanding demands in seafood harvesting and
processing, research, management and other aspects of marine occupations.
The plan sets forth goals and strategies to guide how
industry, state agencies, education and training entities can work together to
support and enhance the maritime workforce.
Goals include development of a workforce that enables the
maritime sector to remain a substantial contributor to the state’s economy and
increasing the number of Alaskans working in skilled maritime occupations.
Strategies include increasing awareness of opportunity in
various occupations and development of career pathways, supporting recruitment
and retention of people to these occupations and promoting sustained industry
engagement in this effort.
Participating entities range from Kris Norosz of Icicle
Seafoods, the FSMI Industry co-chair, to Stephanie Madsen of the At-Sea
Processors Association, and Vince O’Shea of Pacific Seafood Processors
Association to Julie Decker, representing United Fishermen of Alaska and the
Alaska Fisheries Development Foundation.
The plan itself is online at http://www.alaska.edu/fsmi/
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