EUROSEA project aims to elaborate a European Reference of Qualifications existing in the fish and seafood cannery sector, in order to compare vocational education and training related to this sector between partner countries.

Whilst there have been a considerable number of initiatives dealing with informal learning, the main focus has been the accreditation of informal learning seeking to develop instruments and strategies to recognise such learning for the purpose of qualification.

An increasing number of VET teachers/trainers work as developers or project coordinators of transnational project work. They need more competence in the field of international projects planning, implementation and evaluation but most of all a validation system recognising their competence and experience. A large part of this is acquired through non formal or informal learning. We seek to recognise and accredit this learning by creating an integrated European system.

Seafarers in general have a job with extraordinary features. They usually work overseas for long periods, which puts a real pressure to their personal life and active citizenship. They work in alternating 4hour shifts and often have to face temperature changes of over 30o C every few days. Captains in particular have a multitude of managerial, technical and administrative tasks to perform and suffer from occupational stress. The effort of women to enter the profession is in most cases contradictory with maternity. For these reasons it would be beneficial for captains to know that if their life turns so, there is a possibility for them to engage to an alternative career ashore, using competencies they acquired both through formal and non-formal learning.

The “Sail ahead” project aims at providing an on-line guidance tool for a second career for captains.