A new bilingual educational project is helping children across Wales discover the exciting careers connected to the coast — from sustainable fishing and marine ecology to food, heritage and flood defence. Romodels, an education charity working with schools across Wales, has already inspired more than 10,000 learners aged 4–14 to believe: “that could be me!” Through its Romodels Learning Portal, children are introduced to real people in real jobs, helping them see future career possibilities that may be right on their doorstep.
Thanks to support from the Coastal Capacity Fund and a partnership with Swansea Local Nature Partnership, the project is bringing coastal careers to life for schools in Swansea. So far, learners have explored the work of a marine ecologist, a flood defence team and a Sea to Plate Romodel, which celebrates sustainable fishing and helps children understand where food really comes from. The project is currently working with two school clusters in Swansea: Bishop Gore and Penyrheol, involving 15 schools.
The Sea to Plate resource focuses on the people and roles that support sustainable fishing off the Welsh coast. Learners meet a fishing boat crew working out of Milford Haven and Tenby, a fish distributor connecting the catch to businesses and communities, and a chef bringing sustainable fish to the plate. This resource also includes a heritage element, linking the history of the fishing industry to its present-day value.
Designed for learners across Progression Steps 1 to 4, the resources include videos, missions and job descriptions. Children explore what modern sustainable fishing looks like, map Welsh fishing ports and jobs, analyse catch data to understand overfishing, and even design and test boat hull shapes. Alongside this, they learn about routes into fishing, including qualifications, sea service, safety, communication, environmental responsibility and practical seamanship.
The impact has already been felt in schools. Natalie, Career and Work-Related Experiences Lead for the Penyrheol cluster, described the project as a fantastic opportunity for learners to understand the importance of sustainable fishing and food industries, while strengthening skills such as critical thinking, teamwork, communication and problem-solving. Fishing crew members Nolan, Emma and Christie said they wanted young people to see fishing as a rewarding career of the future, while the Welsh Fishermen’s Association highlighted the value of inspiring children before they reach training and recruitment age.
This October, the project will be celebrated at “Voices for Our Coast” at Penyrheol Theatre. Participating schools will present pupils’ Sea to Plate work to peers, families and the wider community; showcasing the creativity, learning and coastal ambition made possible through the Coastal Capacity Fund.
