Blue Economy & Climate Action Pathways (BECAP)

What is BECAP?

Blue Economy and Climate Action Pathways (BECAP) aims to meet the emerging employment demands in ocean-related labor markets in Los Angeles that are aligned with California state climate action and environmental justice priorities. National priorities include the March 2023 Ocean Climate Action Plan by the White House Ocean Policy Committee.

More Information

Our community college Blue Economy and Climate Action Pathways (BECAP) overarching goals are:

To increase and improve career education training opportunities in the areas identified in these reports as both promising and fast- growing career pathways in the ocean economy, including

1. Regenerative Aquaculture,
2. Ocean Renewable Energy & Clean Air,
3. Blue Tech & Underwater Robotics, and
4. Ecosystems Conservation and Restoration.

Project Goals

These project goals will be accomplished through curriculum development:

Creating new curriculum and education programs:
The updating or ”climatizing” of participating STEM disciplines & CTE programs, modify existing curriculum, degree programs, and certificates and/or the creation of new curriculum and programs.

Developing a community of practice and potential partnerships:
Create a faculty communities of practice to facilitate the sharing and scaling of existing curriculum, development of new curriculum, “climatizing” existing curriculum, training, internships, and other on-the-job training opportunities by working with current and potential partners (e.g. LAEDC partners, Alta Sea, and tenants)

Providing jobs and internship opportunities for students:
Assist students in obtaining jobs and internships and post completion job placement. BECAP will be inclusive and interdisciplinary by design. Our program will improve access to various sectors of the Ocean Economy by creating opportunities for students to succeed in traditional occupations within the blue economy, such as technology, computer science, entrepreneurship/ business, global trade and logistics, as well as emerging careers in biotech, renewable/clean energy, aquaculture, robotics, GIS, and ocean technology, that integrate policy and planning aspects, including permitting matters, community engagement, communication and outreach.

This integrative approach is essential to the growth of an ocean economy in the L.A. region that includes climate action, and climate justice.

A Consortium of 14 Colleges

BECAP is a Round 8 and 9 Strong Workforce Regional Project, with funding administered through the Los Angeles Regional Consortium (LARC).

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For questions, please contact BECAP@smc.edu