DQSS is an accredited Skills Development company that believes not to train for the sake of training. Training and Education need to have the result of employment and entrepreneurship. The Blue Economy is the new worldwide phenomenon that South Africa has not been tapping in to alleviate our massive unemployment, poverty, and food security challenges. We are still training our youth in careers that will not alleviate unemployment, we don’t coach and mentor the youth in the Oceans of Opportunities in the Blue Economy.
In our research over years on the Blue Economy 85% of business owners, full time employed and retired individuals, youth and school students did not know what “this blue economy is”. Someone once said, “If you think Education is Expensive, Try Ignorance.” We need to make everyone from a student in grade 1 to a retired member of society aware about the sizable opportunities under the Blue Economy.
Gunter Paul, a Belgian Entrepreneur, published a book in 2010 “The Blue Economy: 10 years, 100 innovations, 100 million jobs.” Its 23 years later and in South Africa we are still working endlessly to get the youth, businesses, and investors onboard. We need to be compassionate on ground level and not only work with existing businesses and highly qualified individuals to promote their ideas and allow them the opportunities. The Blue Economy is about sustainability, transformation, job creation, wealth creation, community involvement, creating a value chain around one idea. To be a BLUE ENTREPRENEUR!
Keith Lawrence Lead Economist of Conservation International’s centre for Oceans once asked the question “What is the value of a Whale?” Traditionally the value of a whale is measured in the monetary value of its bladder and meat. For purpose of this blog don’t let us open a debate about conservation but concentrate on Job creation, Food Security and Entrepreneurship opportunities. When we educate a community, we need to explain the value of a Whale is 100 times more from a Tourism and Retail perspective than his/her bladder and meat.
Whale watching is huge around the world. Whale watching brings revenue to an area from International and Local Tourists visiting an area, spending money on a Tour Guide, Food, Beverages, Accommodation, Entertainment, normal shopping items etc. etc. In changing our outlook on the Value of a Whale, it shifts from a once off income from an opportunity to 10 opportunities, from one job to 100 jobs.
Suddenly an SSME can sell T-shirts that someone needs to manufacture and print, memorabilia can be crafted and sold, Food can be served within a Culinary Tour with locals involved telling the stories around the food and why it is traditionally served. Another SSME can manufacture surfboards, sell or lease them out per day to tourists. Another SSME can repair surfboards and wetsuits. Another SSME can teach tourists how to surf, snorkel… Another SSME can recycle plastic and tins from the waste of the tourists to manufacture valuable items. The Blue Economy concept is how to teach people to create a Value Chain that also directly links to Conservation and our Oceans and Climate Change, and this leads to educating people on the Circular Economy. The Oceans have an abundance of untapped resources that must be used efficiently and sustainably to meet human needs, our needs.
The Blue Economy showcases the innovative options, the new projected scarce skills, the future business opportunities, the growth, and wealth creation prospects. Grab the wave, ride the wave of the Blue Economy!
In our next blog we will discuss how inland students, individuals, businesses can be involved in the Blue Economy, as the Blue Economy is not only for Coastal regions.