California Voice: State can train workers for AI-proof ‘blue economy’
Artificial intelligence is reshaping nearly every corner of the job market, automating tasks that once defined entire careers. But while AI can draft memos and do some complex tasks like mapping, diagnosing disease patterns and forecasting supply chains, there is one sector it cannot replace: the emerging “blue” economy workforce that builds, grows, repairs and sustains the ocean industries powering our economy’s future.
The blue economy is defined by the World Bank as the “sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem.”
With 840 miles of coastline and the nation’s most active port complex, California is uniquely positioned to lead this revolution and share its model with coastal communities around the world seeking both good careers and a sustainable future.
The blue economy is projected to reach $3 trillion globally by 2030, driven by the expansion of offshore renewable energy, sustainable aquaculture, marine carbon removal, coastal restoration and maritime innovation. These sectors require skilled, trained workers who can operate vessels, manage hatcheries, install offshore infrastructure, grow sustainable seaweed crops, maintain marine robotics and make critical decisions in real time, where wind, waves, weather and ecosystems intersect.
In other words: these jobs are AI-proof. While AI will undoubtedly support ocean industries, it will not replace the human presence necessary to perform the work. You cannot automate a diver restoring kelp forests, a technician troubleshooting offshore wind equipment in high seas or a community educator teaching the next generation on a working waterfront.
The most resilient and meaningful careers of tomorrow may not be behind screens at all; they may be on, above and under the water. California is the place to build this workforce. Our state is home to the nation’s largest and most diverse community college system, perfectly positioned to train a broad talent pool for these emerging careers. Many blue jobs require certificates — not four-year degrees — and provide family-sustaining wages and union-aligned career ladders. Paid apprenticeships and short-term credential programs can place workers in good jobs within months instead of years, particularly benefiting veterans, youth and communities that have historically been excluded from economic growth along the coast.
But California’s leadership has implications far beyond our borders. Across the globe, coastal nations from Indonesia and East Africa to the Mediterranean and Pacific Islands are racing to scale sustainable aquaculture and offshore renewable energy. They are seeking partners in knowledge transfer, job training and economic transition. California’s workforce development strategies can become an exportable asset, expanding economic partnerships and providing a framework for shared priorities that align people and planet.
The stakes are high: The U.S. currently imports more than 70% of its seafood, even as sustainable aquaculture generates major employment abroad. Offshore wind projects and coastal resiliency efforts face delays amid workforce shortages. Without a strategic pipeline, we risk ceding opportunity not just to automation, but to global competitors.
A California-led blue workforce strategy is not just good policy, it’s a competitive advantage. How can the state help? Local ports and community colleges, for example, need stronger partnerships. The state can underwrite paid apprenticeships tied to real job placements. We should formalize international partnerships where California can learn from and support coastal economies abroad. And it’s already happening: Fourteen California Community Colleges led by Santa Monica College, Los Angeles Harbor College and AltaSea launched the Blue Economy Climate Action Pathways program to align academia with businesses to help students get into sustainable, good-paying jobs in ocean-related fields. This means developing new curriculum and programs to match the growing need in the blue economy.
The ocean holds the solutions to some of our most urgent challenges, from climate adaptation to renewable power to sustainable food systems. Training the workforce to deliver these solutions is not simply an employment strategy, it is a generational responsibility.
Sonya Christian is chancellor of the California Community Colleges. Terry Tamminen is president and CEO of AltaSea at the Port of Los Angeles and a former California Environmental Protection Agency secretary. From the Sacramento Bee via Tribune Content Agency.