Expand Career Pathways in the Blue Economy

Access to tech and creative industry employment

Gateway Cities South Bay County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

The Blue Economy – defined as "sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems" – is estimated at $1.5 trillion annually and expected to double over the next decade. AltaSea puts Los Angeles in a position to benefit from this growth with the facilities, business model and network of ocean innovators, scientists, and education partners necessary to create career pathways in the Blue Economy for youth from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities. Our Center for Innovation opened last year and labs for student research are being installed, positioning our Ocean Career Pathways program for rapid growth. While creating economic opportunity for the local community, the program also builds a workforce for research and business enterprises developing scalable solutions to the most urgent sustainability challenges, such as climate change, energy supply and food security.

LA2050 funds will support the next phase of our Ocean Career Pathways programs for youth ages 16 – 24, enabling AltaSea to:
1) EXPAND: Internship Program. We launched our college internship program in 2018 and added mentorships (unpaid internships) for high school students in 2020. We partner with community organizations including CSU – Dominguez Hills College Corps, Ready to Succeed, ScholarMatch and SBCC to identify and place first-generation college students, foster youth and other disadvantaged students in AltaSea tenant businesses. We seek to expand from 50 to 90 interns/mentees in 2026.
2) PILOT: Certificate Program. In 2024, Santa Monica College (SMC) launched a Sustainable Ocean Aquaculture certificate program, the first marine aquaculture certificate program in California. AltaSea is placing the first two cohorts of 26 students each with our tenant enterprises, establishing a replicable model.
3) LAUNCH: Apprenticeship. In partnership with the Maritime Environmental Training Trust, an AltaSea tenant, and El Camino College, we have developed a Marine Apprentice Program that will provide classroom and hands-on training to students leading to qualification for entry-level U.S. Mariner credentialing and employment in the maritime industry. We hope to launch the program with 30 apprentice trainees in 2026.
4) OPEN: Flex Labs. We are currently building 2,000 sf of research lab space for college student researchers. We expect the labs to host at least 50 students in 2026.

L.A. will have a thriving Blue Economy that offers economic opportunity to those who need it most. A 2013 analysis projects AltaSea will generate $290 million in annual economic activity (not adjusted for inflation) and 1,350 permanent local jobs. Through Ocean Career Pathways, AltaSea will promote just and equitable distribution of this opportunity to historically marginalized communities.
Local business and researchers will have a robust pipeline of workers, enabling them to pursue new discoveries and scalable technologies in fields such as carbon capture, energy production from waves, aquaculture and more.
Climate disaster may be avoided. Rising sea levels, for example, are projected to put at risk more than 7,000 homes, 62 miles of roads, 6 passenger stations, 5 heliports, 4 power plants, and 2 Amtrak stations in Los Angeles County alone. By nurturing the Blue Economy, AltaSea’s success can play an important role in mitigating the worst impacts of climate change for the region.