Regional NODE -
pacific islands
Photo credit: Akau Film, Johnny Beasley
Introducing the Early Career Ocean Professional Regional Node for the Pacific Islands
The Early Career Ocean Professional (ECOP) Programme is a global initiative established to empower ECOPs, who self-identify as being early in their career in any field related to the ocean. The Programme is at the heart of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade) and was endorsed by the UN Ocean Decade as a network program in 2021.
The Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science (PCCOS) aims to help Pacific Island governments and communities easily access the ocean science and expertise they need to make informed decisions and to protect and sustainably manage ocean resources. In ways to support National Offices and engage with young people from the region, PCCOS created the Pacific Early Career Ocean Professionals (Pacific ECOP) Network in 2021, which regroups multidisciplinary ocean professionals and young people from the Pacific working in the ocean space.
To address a critical gap identified by Pacific ECOPs, namely the lack of initial employment opportunities in the ocean sector in their home country when they graduate from university, PCCOS also created the Pacific ECOP Placement Programme, active since 2021.
The Pacific ECOP Placement Programme has provided employment opportunities in their home country and field of interest to over 25 young Pacific Islanders to date. The Pacific Community (SPC), through PCCOS, is looking at acquiring the official designation of a “Regional Node” as part of the global ECOP Programme. This would connect ECOP initiatives in the Pacific to global ones, as well as to other national and regional nodes, providing even more opportunities to young professionals from the Pacific.
Overview of the Pacific ECOP Node
The ECOP Node for the Pacific Islands is currently implementing the following activities:
- The Pacific ECOP Network
- The Pacific ECOP Placement Programme
- Capacity Building Opportunities for Pacific ECOPs
- Decade Regional Collaborative Centre for the Pacific Islands
1. The Pacific ECOP Network
The Pacific ECOP Network aims at developing an environment and a providing a platform to:
- Develop, share knowledge and skills among ECOP peers and with senior researchers and project partners through professional experience, including interdisciplinary experience;
- Improve access to employment opportunities, most of the time during the studies or straight after earning a diploma, to help ECOP gain professional experience in ocean sciences;
- Contribute to the design of ocean solutions and actions and the implementation of the Decade of Ocean Science in the Blue Pacific;
- Recognise ECOPs for their contributions to the Ocean Decade as they play an increasingly prominent role in the iterative design and implementation of the Decade; and
- Empower and build capacity of Pacific ECOP for ocean leadership.
The Pacific ECOP Network has a mailing list of over than 200 ECOP members where key opportunities are shared (training, research, sponsorship, scholarship, etc.). Young Pacific Islanders willing to join the Network must fill the online survey on their capabilities, needs and areas of work and interest within the Ocean Decade. The Pacific ECOP Network has an annual event, the Virtual Pacific ECOP Talanoa, gathering ECOPs from the region to discuss their achievements at the end of each year.
2. The Pacific ECOP Placement Programme
Credit: Karianako James
The Pacific ECOP Placement Programme aims at retaining young graduates in the ocean sector, contributing to the ocean priorities of their home country or territory. The Programme works with National Ocean Offices (or other similar structure in charge of ocean issues and/or National Ocean Policy implementation) to recruit ECOP candidates for short term placements (from a few months to a full year) to progress work on ocean-related national priorities while contributing to the Pacific ECOP Network. Pacific ECOPs, through this programme, are gaining experience and working in ocean science, ocean governance and management, legal services, geographic information systems, community engagement and partnerships, traditional knowledge promotion, or other relevant topics.
Each ECOP placement must contribute to the following:
- Support the Ocean Office (or equivalent) with various tasks related to the implementation of its National Ocean Policy and/or Integrated Ocean Management (IOM);
- Strengthen capacities of Pacific ECOPs with hands-on experience and on-the-job learning opportunities;
- Contribute to the structuration of the Pacific ECOP Network in their country or territory and in the region by:
a. Identifying ECOPs in relevant ministries and reach out to them;
b. Conducting a mapping exercise to compile and identify ECOP expertise across the country including youth networks relevant to ocean issues;
c. Working with other Pacific ECOPs to contribute to in-country, Pacific and global ECOP activities and encourage peer to peer learning.
The Pacific ECOP Placement Programme offered job opportunities in their home country and in their field of interest to more than 25 young Pacific Islanders from 2021 to 2023. It is now significantly growing due to strong interest and benefits generated for both young people and national governments.
3. Capacity Building Opportunities for Pacific ECOPs
Credit: Joseph Hing
Through the Network, PCCOS is providing sponsorships to Pacific ECOPs to speak during regional or international events and is providing a platform for ECOPs during SPC-organised events. About 10 to 20 Pacific ECOPs accessed capacity building opportunities through PCCOS and the Pacific ECOP Network each year since 2021. This includes sponsorship to events like the UN Ocean Conference, the New Zealand Marine Science Symposium or the Pacific Islands Conference on Ocean Science and Ocean Management.
PCCOS now have 4 ECOP positions advertised in Vanuatu and will soon have four more in Kiribati – Look out for fellowship opportunities in the Pacific!
4. Decade Regional Collaborative Centre for the Pacific Islands
Credit: Karianako James
SPC, through PCCOS, is officially recognized by IOC-UNESCO since September 2023 as the Regional Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC) for the Pacific Islands, covering 23 island countries and territories. The ECOP Node for the Pacific Islands would sit within PCCOS and the DCC, providing a perfect alignment and intimate knowledge of the Ocean Decade actions, projects and programmes happening in the Pacific. This integration opens even more engagement opportunities to ECOPs in Decade activities in the region. PCCOS is looking at hiring a Pacific ECOP Programme Officer and a Pacific Ocean Decade Collaborative Centre Coordinator in 2024, two positions expected to work in close collaboration.
Credit: Karianako James
Pacific ECOP Survey
This survey will enable Pacific Early Career Ocean Professionals (Pacific ECOPs) to help us understand what you would like in the development of a network for you and with you. It will also provide us a platform to contribute and participate in the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, 2021-2030 to ensure Pacific voices are heard at the global stage.
The Decade is a critical opportunity to galvanise transformative actions for the ocean we need for the future we want.
This survey intends to:
- identify early career ocean professionals for the purposes of this study defined as either: those under the age of 35 working or studying in ocean related sciences, traditional / indigenous ocean science approaches or work related to actions such as community science initiatives or those who may be over the age of 35 years but have been in the ocean science sector for less than 10 years;
- gather information about their interests and expertise relating to the Ocean Decade;
- gather information about perceived priority actions for Pacific Early Career Ocean Professionals for the Ocean Decade
- identify key capacity gaps, needs and challenges for ECOPs led by your understanding and experience in the space and how you see the future of pacific led science from the region in the ocean sector;
- Ultimately, this survey intends to understand the Pacific ECOPs views, gaps, challenges and success and its linkages to the Ocean Decade about the Decade to enable the views of Pacific ECOPs to be integrated into priority actions for the Decade in the Blue Pacific.
This survey is conducted by the Pacific Community (SPC) through our Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science (PCCOS) supported by our partners, the Government of New Zealand (MFAT).
The survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
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Contact us
Contact the acting coordinators of the Early Career Ocean Professional Regional Node for the Pacific Islands: pccos-request@spc.int
Pierre-Yves Charpentier
PCCOS Project Adviser
Katy Soapi
PCCOS Coordinator – Partnership and Engagement