The Maritime Academy is brand new and exciting for one other course at the upper secondary level. The program is about ocean-related innovation in its broadest sense and is located in Hus sjavarklasans.
“There has never before been a similar study offered in Iceland at the upper secondary level, but innovation studies of this kind have been limited to the university level. The program is primarily intended as an opportunity for people of upper secondary school age to become acquainted with product development, entrepreneurship training, the establishment and operation of companies. It is suitable for both young people who are starting their high school studies or want to add to themselves, but the program gives 30 credits into a high school that is equivalent to one semester. The program is also ideal for people with experience in the labor market who want to add knowledge related to innovation or intend to start a company within the blue economy. The only condition that applicants must meet is to have completed a primary school diploma, “says Sara Bjork Gudmundsdottir, project manager at Sjavarklasan.
Diverse learning with an innovative format
The Marine Academy will focus on the promotion of products and new companies in the various fields of fisheries and aquaculture, from processing to product development, marketing and sales. “The study is arranged as in a high school where teaching is done every working day. We either get speakers from the companies, many of which are located in Hus sjavarklasans, or go on field trips to various companies related to the marine industry in Iceland, most of which are located in Suðurnes. Therefore, the classroom as such will have a slightly different format than what happens in most high schools. Hus sjavarklasans is also a place that offers incredible opportunities and a fun environment for people who are taking their first steps in the field of innovation. ”
Students have the freedom to work together in groups or as individuals. “If, for example, there is a nice group of people who work well together on projects, then, of course, we do not stand in the way. Cooperation can be very rewarding for some and then others find it best to work on their own projects. ”
Incredible opportunity
“We are incredibly excited to offer the Marine Academy now for the first time this autumn, but earlier this summer we had a course that was like a kind of introduction to the program. The course exceeded expectations and the ten students did incredibly well. Participants were people of a wide age range, from 17 years to 47 years. At the end of the course, the students worked on a final project that involved starting their own business. There is one project where the idea was to produce coffee capsules for coffee machines with added fish collagen. Another idea is now in full swing, where the student-designed a jewelry line with inspiration from the sea. Among other things, there was a necklace reminiscent of fishing nets and then the fishermen’s knots were used in the design. This promises to be especially good for the autumn and the upcoming semester. ”
The study is one semester and usually takes place in Hús sjavarklasans in Grandagardur. The Fisheries Academy is run by Sjavarklasan and Fisk-taekniskoli Íslands and is loosely built on the basis of the study program of Fisktaekniskoli Islands on raw material processing.
“The autumn semester starts on September 14th and the application deadline is September 7th. There are already ten registered for the program and there is room for five more, “says Sara.
