Aqua How and Why

The project will investigate, define, test, evaluate and validate a new innovative system for developing and applying in company mentor supported learning within aquaculture VET, paying particular attention to enhanced access to workplace-based training within the Blue sector for staff that have disabilities and educational difficulties. It will be based up on offering transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications by evaluating students motivation and acquired aquaculture experience during the mentoring supported learning activities. This will be done by inventing a number of open cases from the farming sector, in combination with a new type of pre-testing that documents student’s pre-aquaculture knowledge and skills. The test will be designed to support staff that has educational difficulties by applying multimedia material constructed by instructional designers. The open cases will be applied in a work-based training delivery system supported by in company based mentors, to determine and demonstrate the benefits.

The proposed system solutions offer transparency of skills and qualifications in such a way that VET schools in partnership with regional/local farms may offer adapted training solutions to their aquaculture VET students. In addition, fish farming companies will apply the transparency of skills to develop a new learning culture at the cages that is based up on developing mentoring support during group work and individualized learning at the farms.

The proposed system solution proposes a new method and service to investigate and recognize those students that have obtained aquaculture skills and qualifications, but is challenged by educational difficulties and/or disabilities linked to early school leaving. This is of particular interest when preparing for the theoretical education, leading to an exam that is part of the National Qualifications (NQs) in Norway. In addition, it will let VET schools offer better adapted training and fish farms to don`t encourage their staff to start on theoretical courses before they have obtained a minimum of experience, to be documented by the project.


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