For Malta and Gozo, the sea is inseparable from everyday life. The islands’ geography has shaped transport, tourism, fishing, trade, recreation and employment for generations. It is therefore natural that the maritime and wider blue economy should form an important part of career education.
Yet living on islands does not automatically mean that young people understand the full range of blue careers available to them. Many students may associate the maritime sector with a small number of familiar jobs, while the modern blue economy includes a much broader range of professions.
Blue careers span maritime transport, vessel operations, marine engineering, port services, tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, marine science, environmental protection, offshore energy, maritime safety, and technology. Professions that support the blue economy indirectly also include digital services, business, communications, education, and research.
The maritime sector is especially relevant to Malta because of the country’s position in the Mediterranean and its long-standing maritime connections. Gozo also has a distinctive relationship with the sea, with marine tourism, fishing, diving, boating and transport forming part of the island’s economic and social landscape.
For schools, this provides a valuable opportunity to connect classroom learning with the local environment. Students can investigate how mathematics supports navigation and logistics, how science explains marine ecosystems, how engineering contributes to vessel design and maintenance, and how technology supports modern maritime operations.
Blue careers can also contribute to environmental sustainability. As society seeks to reduce pollution, protect biodiversity and use marine resources responsibly, there is a growing need for people with the knowledge and skills to address marine environmental challenges. This creates links between blue careers and climate action, conservation and sustainable development.
Another important aspect is vocational education. Not every blue career requires a university degree. Some pathways involve specialised technical or vocational training, apprenticeships, licences or professional certification. Career guidance should therefore present students with a variety of routes into employment and explain the qualifications associated with each one.
The Blue Ocean project encourages schools to make these pathways visible. Engagement with professionals, training providers and employers can help students understand what different occupations involve and what skills they need to develop.
This is also an opportunity to broaden students’ understanding of STEM. Automation, digital technologies, data, renewable energy and advanced engineering increasingly influence maritime work. Traditional maritime knowledge remains important, but new technical competences increasingly complement it.
For Gozo, developing awareness of these opportunities can be particularly valuable. Young people may not always realise that they can build careers connected with the sea while also developing expertise in science, technology, engineering or environmental protection.
Blue Ocean provides a structured framework for exploring these possibilities. By combining local examples with international experiences from Italy, Greece and French Polynesia, students can see both the similarities and differences between maritime careers in different parts of the world.
Ultimately, promoting blue careers is not about directing every student towards the maritime sector. It is about ensuring that students know what opportunities exist and can make informed choices based on their interests, strengths and aspirations.
For Malta and Gozo, the blue economy represents both a connection with the past and an opportunity for the future. Through education, skills development and international cooperation, young people can be better prepared to contribute to the sustainable development of the islands and the wider marine environment.