Aqua-RET 2 (2009-2011)

Aqua-RET 2’s aims and objectives are 1) to identify the labour market needs of the marine renewable sector and ancillary businesses on a sectoral and geographical basis 2) to select, adapt and further develop existing material from Aqua-RET to meet identified labour market needs 3) to integrate the new innovative training content into the work place by piloting new training programmes from which outputs will be transferred geographically and between sectors to ensure that training is more responsive to changes in labour market needs 4) to facilitate the transfer of skills from ancillary sectors to the marine renewables sector.

Aqua-RET 2 will  involve a diversity of stakeholders (in both the marine renewable sector and ancillary businesses) in the design and delivery of a needs analysis aimed at identifying the labour market needs of the sector and highlighting the necessary skills required. Aqua-RET 2 will identify gaps in the skills required and knowledge available and will further develop the Aqua-RET range of materials, producing training courses using best practice methodology to fill these gaps. One of Aqua-RET's deliverables, key learning outcomes, will be further developed and matched with the identified skills to meet competency levels for roles within the marine renewables sector. This action will enable Aqua-RET 2  to promote  mobility of labour both across Europe and between sectors by supporting the transfer of workers from sectors which may have peaked (COM(2008) 768 final) e.g. oil and gas to this fast developing sector. The development of an assessment system linked to the European Qualifications Framework will facilitate labour market mobility and transfer of skills and knowledge. A competence mapping tool will be developed which will act as a guide to allow workers and employers to focus on the areas where knowledge and training is most needed and illustrate how the Aqua-RET 2 training material and courses can meet those gaps. This will enable the courses to be market relevant and act as a system for the anticipation of skills needs, one of the main aims of the LLP and a recommendation in the Bordeaux Communique (Nov 2008) on European cooperation in VET. The training courses developed will be workplace relevant and focused on target groups sharing best practice and the latest thinking across sectors and across Europe.

Aqua-RET 2 consortium:

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