Profile

Projects

WAVE

Working in Aquaculture, Validation of Experience, a soon-to-be completed EU Leonardo da Vinci pilot project co-ordinated by AquaTT, is in the process of developing a European system for validating or accrediting skills acquired through informal or formal farm-based training in aquaculture.

While there are accredited college-based courses across Europe, difficulties remain in the provision of accredited practical skills training. The WAVE project has shown that many of the skills acquired by practitioners are done so on commercial farms and in production units, which do not (and indeed cannot) at present provide accreditation for such training.

WAVE paves the way for increased transparency and recognition of vocational education in aquaculture in line with EC policy and initiatives. The development of competency levels based on existing practices will make comparison and transfer of skills possible. The outcome of the project will be a protocol for the validation and accreditation of work experience and practical training in aquaculture and will:

- Provide and internationally recognised framework for vocational training in aquaculture
- Allocate accreditation to workers in recognition of expertise and skills acquired at work
- Enable management to analyse and identify training needs in their establishments
- Provide recognition of informal learning thereby facilitating worker mobility

Visit theWAVE website