Retaining skills in small islands of Europe

Local entrepreneur Gerard Sullivan of Bere Island Boatyards, located in southern Ireland, emphasised, "Entrepreneurship is in our DNA, but we've lost many young people to the city and US tech jobs. We need to reverse this trend by ensuring training benefits everyone in the community, not just a select few like in tourism."

In response, Cork Education and Training Board offers an innovative island-based training program to tackle skill retention. This program features a modular “micro-credentials” scheme, allowing islanders to learn at their own pace, combining older generations’ knowledge through apprenticeships with new industry expertise. A major focus is on upskilling maritime skills through the West Cork Strategic Plan for a Maritime Training Centre, encouraging collaboration over competition to support local adaptation to renewable energy.

The Island of Eigg provides another strong example of keeping young people employed locally. It's extensive health and safety training, combined with on-the-job learning, supports the management of a microgrid powered by hydro, solar, and wind. With its electric system in operation for 16 years, six part-time employees now maintain it, showcasing successful local training efforts.

Thirteen small European islands have recently been selected for the "30 Islands for 2030" initiative by Clean Energy for EU Islands (CE4EUI), for the European Small Islands Federation (ESIN), training and upskilling are central to this project. Voluntary boards manage most islands, and there’s a pressing need for facilitators to share both organisational and technical knowledge.

ESIN is eager to encourage a new generation of islanders to engage with renewable energy and carbon-neutral strategies, starting from primary school. By involving local educational institutions, ESIN hopes to show young islanders that these new energy approaches offer the potential to thrive and remain on their islands.

Source: European Small Islands Federation

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