WYTEC Blue program:
Second Edition

Building upon the success of its predecessor, WYTEC Blue Second Edition expands the capacity-building initiative for women and youth in ocean science and technology, maritime safety and risk management, and leadership and entrepreneurship. The first WYTEC Blue project successfully conducted needs assessments, curriculum development, and training in Nova Scotia, Ghana, and Cabo Verde. The second edition will further enhance the skills and awareness of early-career ocean professionals, fostering international collaboration between Canada and a growing network of West African nations.

This iteration will sustain the existing network while expanding its reach to include new training hubs in Atlantic Canada, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, promoting a more inclusive approach and empowering a greater number of women and youth to contribute to a sustainable blue economy. The program will again utilize two modular, virtually delivered courses co-taught by experts from Canadian and West African academia, business, not-for-profit organizations, and government. Participants will enroll in one of two courses (or both) focusing on a) Ocean Science and Technology and b) Blue Economy Enablers, with shared modules on Leadership and Entrepreneurship. The curriculum will be co-created with stakeholders to ensure relevance to regional needs and address pressing issues.

The project aims to leverage Atlantic Canada’s strong ocean science, technology, and entrepreneurial expertise with West Africa’s demographic potential and local knowledge to develop a thriving blue economy based on a scientifically informed and technically skilled workforce capable of fostering sustainable livelihoods and a healthy ocean.

The Executive Secretary of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) has extended its endorsement of WYTEC Blue Second Edition (UN2021-002) as a project contributing to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030), following the success of the inaugural edition. This endorsement recognizes the program’s crucial role in catalyzing transformative ocean science solutions for sustainable development. The project connects people and the ocean, working towards the Ocean Decade’s vision of “The Science We Need for the Ocean We Want.”

WYTEC Blue project is powered by:

DOTCAN Institute

DOTCAN is a grassroots initiative which was stimulated by the Sustainable Blue Economy Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2018. The initiative builds on commitments made by Canada at that conference and will be a concrete implementation of Canada’s Ocean Strategy, which is based on principles of sustainable development, integrated management and the precautionary approach. Initially, this multilateral, multisectoral and “joined-up” initiative seeks to build on links between Canada and West African nations as well as existing international partnerships, focusing on business, maritime security and education.

With the technical support of:

African Marine Environment Sustainability Initiative (AFMESI)

Established in Nigeria, African Marine Environment Sustainability Initiative (AFMESI) is a Pan-African non-governmental organization dedicated to achieving healthy ocean and waterways for Pan African socio-economic growth. AFMESI focuses on raising awareness, building human capacity, and advocating for political support and infrastructure development to enable equitable marine environment protection.

GOAL Sierra Leone

Established in Sierra Leone since 1999, GOAL is a non-governmental, international humanitarian organization committed to saving lives and empowering communities to develop resilience and greater control over their lives and livelihoods. GOAL also sees the benefit of protecting and investing in the Blue Economy as it has the potential to pay dividends for generations to come. A Blue Economy program from Latin America is being implemented in Sierra Leone, in support of fisheries and coastal communities.

Cape Breton Partnership

Cape Breton Partnership is a private sector-led non-governmental economic development organization that works collaboratively to support the growth of Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s economy through the sustainable attraction and retention of investment, population, and innovation. The Cape Breton Partnership wants to create a stronger and more prosperous Unama’ki – Cape Breton that leads the surrounding region into the future, embodying values of sustainability, reconciliation, inclusivity, optimism, and innovation.

And Inaugural partners hubs

Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute (GoGMI)

Established in Ghana, the Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute (GoGMI) is a local non-profit research organization. It constitutes a ‘think-tank’ for maritime strategic thinkers, practitioners and allies to interact, share ideas and research into strategic maritime affairs affecting the Gulf of Guinea (GoG) Region. The Institute’s core business is strategic maritime research, consultancy and advocacy in the areas of safety, security and environment in the Ghanaian and the Gulf of Guinea Maritime space at large. The main objective of GoGMI is to produce recognized research and provide solutions from an indigenous perspective, thereby addressing the current imbalance in the Region’s maritime studies, where local opinion and interests are under-represented.

Biosfera 1

In Cabo Verde, Biosfera 1 (Associação Para a Defesa do Meio Ambiente), is a local non-governmental organization based in Mindelo, São Vicente Island, whose mission is to promote the conservation of species of fauna and flora, the rehabilitation of marine and coastal ecosystems, as well as environmental awareness and education and local development.

And cutting across the partnering countries

IFA

Initiative For Africa (IFA) engages change agents, entrepreneurs, decision-makers and citizens to create bridges of opportunity on the African continent. Through high-quality coaching, inspiration, networking and pre-incubation programs, the organization has already impacted more than 2,500 young Africans. IFA is an incubator without borders for initiatives and projects. The organization draws motivation from the resilience and talent of African youth, from Dakar to Kampala, from Gaborone to Lomé, from Cairo to Kigali. IFA believes in the potential of this generation of possibilities. The organization has optimism in action, doers. IFA’s ambition is unequivocal: to activate talent and turn it into the driving force behind the positive and sustainable transformation of the African continent.

Canada’s Ocean Supercluster

The Ocean Startup Project (OSP) inspires, initiates and invests to make Canada the best place in the world to start and grow an ocean tech business. The project team creates and delivers activities to support ideation through commercialization, for innovators and entrepreneurs from industry to academia. As a co-funded, pan-Atlantic collaboration, the OSP offerings complement existing industry accelerators, incubators and other support organizations across Canada’s world-class innovation ecosystem. Together with its founding partners – Creative Destruction Lab (CDL), Genesis, Innovacorp, New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, PEI BioAlliance and Springboard Atlantic – OSP seeks to accelerate how homegrown startups get their technologies to market and attract international companies to Canada’s shores. OSP was the first Innovation Ecosystem Project announced by Canada’s Ocean Supercluster. The Ocean Supercluster is an industry-led collaboration involving more than 320 industry and associate members, from organizations and companies of all sizes. With investments from across the country and linkages to international partners and Indigenous communities, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster builds and funds large projects to heighten Canada’s existing strengths, experience and knowledge, and open new opportunities.

Training Components:

• Stream 1/2: Ocean Science and Technology (OST)
• Stream 2/2: Blue Economy Enablers (BEE)
• Shared Leadership and Entrepreneurship (L&E) module 

Training Delivery tentative dates: September to December 2025. Exact dates will be communicated later. 

Course Frequency: two sessions per week, Fridays and Saturdays to maximize participation.

Training duration: 10 weeks

Locations: Nova Scotia (Canada), Freetown (Sierra Leone) and Lagos (Nigeria). Exact location will be communicated to selected participants.

Format of the training delivery: Experts from participating countries will co-instruct the courses through an online platform simultaneously in the three locations. Participants will be required to gather at their WYTEC Blue hub to attend the training in person.