On May 29, 2026, hundreds of learners across Grenada’s education spectrum – from primary and secondary school pupils to T.A. Marryshow Community College (TAMCC) students – gathered at Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina for the inaugural *Explore the Blue – Marine Pathways Event*, an innovative outreach effort designed to open young people’s eyes to the potential of the island nation’s fast-expanding blue economy. The collaborative event was coordinated by Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, the Grenada Tourism Authority and the Grenada Yacht Club, with core funding and support from the Green & Blue Skills Project, an initiative run by Germany’s Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, and delivered in partnership with the Caribbean Community (Caricom).
One of the event’s most anticipated highlights was a series of guided glass-bottom boat tours that gave students a rare firsthand look at the vibrant underwater ecosystems that underpin Grenada’s marine industries. Accompanied by professional marine biologists, groups traveled to Pandy Beach to learn about the ecological roles of seagrass beds and coral reefs, as well as the urgent need for marine conservation. After the ocean excursion, participants moved to the Grenada Yacht Club, where they interacted directly with marine sector business representatives to explore the wide range of professional roles available in the local blue economy.
Zara Tremlett, General Manager of Camper & Nicholsons Port Louis Marina, praised the overwhelming energy and curiosity students brought to the day. “We ran two rotating glass-bottom boat tours made possible through GIZ’s Green & Blue Skills support,” Tremlett explained. “This wasn’t just a field trip – it was a chance for young people to connect what they learn in the classroom to the living, working ocean that drives so much of Grenada’s economy.”
The Green & Blue Skills Project, which operates across four Caribbean small island developing states, works to reform national and regional Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems to better equip young people – especially women and marginalized vulnerable groups – to access jobs and launch enterprises in green and blue economy sectors. In Grenada, the initiative prioritizes the entire maritime industry, covering everything from luxury yachting and marine tourism to traditional boatbuilding, fisheries, ferry transport, and vessel repair and maintenance.
Sabine Klaus, head of the Green & Blue Skills Project, emphasized that bridging the gap between education institutions and industry is critical to meeting current and future workforce demands in Grenada. “Grenada’s blue economy holds enormous potential for inclusive, sustainable economic growth, but right now, there are far too few structured training programs and clear career pathways for young people interested in marine careers,” Klaus noted. “As a result, many local marine businesses are forced to bring in specialized experts from overseas to fill critical roles, from equipment repair to operations management, which holds back the sector’s growth.”
Klaus added that the project will continue its work with TAMCC and local industry partners such as Port Louis Marina to expand accessible marine training programs, update curricula and qualification standards, and develop structured apprenticeship and direct employment pathways aligned with the evolving needs of Grenada’s growing blue economy.
Akimo Murray, TAMCC’s Acting Corporate Communications Officer, framed the event as a transformative step for marine education in Grenada. “For students, getting to see and experience first-hand the concepts their lecturers discuss in the classroom is invaluable,” Murray said. “This kind of real-world engagement benefits learners, our institution, and Grenada as a whole by building a pipeline of local talent for the marine sector.”
The Grenada National Training Agency (GNTA), which also partnered on the event, leveraged the accompanying Open House and Exhibition to connect directly with learners across all education levels, from primary school through tertiary education. GNTA Marketing and Communications Officer Kay Julien-Gutu called the event a resounding success, noting that it created a critical public space for career exploration and educational outreach. “Our team got to interact directly with the next generation of marine professionals, showcase what TVET has to offer, and share targeted guidance on careers in marine industries and yachting,” Julien-Gutu explained. “Initiatives like this help us deliver on our core mission: building strong links between education providers and industry, so Grenada’s young people are prepared to pursue sustainable, rewarding careers that benefit both themselves and their country.”
Buoyed by overwhelmingly positive feedback from participating students, educators, and industry partners, stakeholders are now discussing the possibility of making the Explore the Blue event a regular fixture, held either annually or biannually to reach new groups of young Grenadians each year.
As a long-standing global leader in international development cooperation with more than 50 years of experience, GIZ works with partners in roughly 120 countries worldwide to deliver practical, locally led solutions that improve livelihoods, expand economic opportunity, and advance environmental sustainability. Beyond Grenada, the Green & Blue Skills Project also operates in Dominica, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines, addressing skills gaps across green sectors including renewable energy and climate-resilient agriculture, as well as blue economy sectors such as sustainable tourism and marine conservation. In Grenada, widespread industry reports confirm persistent shortages of qualified workers across key maritime roles, including marine technicians, marina operations staff, marine hospitality personnel, and certified seafarers – a gap the project and its local partners are working steadily to close.
