The event 'The Blue Economy as an Opportunity for the Canary Islands' concluded that the connection between businesses and universities is key to preventing graduates from emigrating. The sector already generates 21,187 jobs in the islands.
The Blue Economy Chair of the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife-University of La Laguna (ULL) has launched a manifesto focusing on the sector's main challenge: training future professionals and, above all, ensuring they stay in the Canary Islands. The initiative arose during the event “The Blue Economy as an Opportunity for the Canary Islands: University Employment, Innovation and Productive Diversification,” held at the Tenerife port, where entrepreneurs, administrations, and academics agreed that the training offered must be more practical and flexible to meet the real demands of the market.
A Starting Gun for Blue Employment
The president of the Port Authority of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Pedro Suárez, described the manifesto as “the starting gun to materialise the opportunities offered by Tenerife Ports for all those in training.” In his speech, he highlighted the importance of future professionals integrating into the Canary business fabric and not having to emigrate to develop their skills.
“We must ensure that these future professionals integrate into the Canary business fabric and do not have to leave to develop their professional skills outside of the Canary Islands,” said Suárez.
The manifesto emphasises that the blue economy requires multidisciplinary profiles with skills in digitalisation, sustainability, and adaptation to new technological and regulatory environments. For this, the connection between the business and educational sectors is essential, a condition that is already being worked on by ULL and companies in the sector.
Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Key Areas
The island councillor for Innovation, Research and Development, Juan José Martínez, pointed out that training needs will have to advance in robotics, artificial intelligence, and certain engineering specialties. “These are opportunities for the talent of our youth and job opportunities with a bright future for Tenerife and the Canary Islands,” he assured.
Meanwhile, the ULL Vice-Rector for Teaching, José Manuel García Fraga, and the director of the Chair, Carlos Mora, agreed that “it is necessary for society itself, businesses, and public administration to indicate what they need to respond to the future labour demands of the sector.” Both insisted on the need to promote specific training actions that meet the real needs of companies.
The Blue Economy Already Generates 21,187 Jobs in the Canary Islands
The relevance of these conclusions is framed within the current context of the blue economy in the islands. According to the report Quantification of the Blue Economy in the Canary Islands, published in May by the Canary Islands Statistics Institute, this sector generated in 2024 a gross added value of 1.69 billion euros, equivalent to 2.9% of the Canary GDP, and 21,187 jobs. Maritime transport and port activities have a particularly significant weight.
However, growth is conditioned by challenges such as the digitalisation of processes, cybersecurity, the transition to more sustainable and decarbonised production models, adaptation to new regulatory frameworks, and the incorporation of innovation as a competitiveness axis.
For the residents of Tenerife, this commitment to the blue economy translates into concrete job opportunities. University graduates who choose to train in these areas will increasingly have options to find employment on the island without having to emigrate. The Chair is already working on designing training programmes that connect directly with the demands of companies in the port and maritime sector.
The event concluded with a commitment to continue promoting alliances between ULL, the Port Authority, and companies to make practical training a reality in the short term. The next steps include the creation of a blue employment observatory to monitor the needs of the sector and adapt the educational offer.
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