Project Assistant：CHANG,WEI-LUN

　　The Taiwan Marine Education Center opens applications annually for schools up to high school level to host Marine Career Exploration and Teaching Development tours. These tours have received enthusiastic responses, leading to an increase in the number of sessions each year. To train more tour lecturers and expand their understanding of various marine industries, two training workshops were conducted in May this year. The workshops focused on "Marine and Coastal Engineering" and "Aquatic Product Processing" industries and utilized a two-stage approach that consisted "Online Capacity-building Courses" and "In-Person Workplace Visits."

　　The "Online Capacity-building Courses" were scheduled for two consecutive Wednesday afternoons. Professors from National Taiwan Ocean University, who possess both practical and theoretical expertise, were invited to provide fundamental overviews of the current status and development of the two industries. Subsequently, chairpersons from the Department of Harbor and River Engineering and the Department of Food Science were invited to share insights on employment markets and opportunities, broadening the participants' understanding of the working environment.

　　The "In-Person Workplace Visits" provided teachers from different regions with opportunities to learn about marine-related industries. In the northern region, the visits focused on the marine and coastal engineering industry, including an exploration of the Marine Engineering Laboratory at National Taiwan Ocean University. This segment also featured discussions on the demand for talent in the green energy industry, specifically offshore wind turbines, and included demonstration teaching activities by faculty members developing marine career integration courses. In the southern region, the visits centered on the aquatic product processing industry. Teachers from National Tung Kang Maritime and Fishery Vocational High School, along with local aquatic product processing industry representatives, participated in discussions. The itinerary included visits to food processing plants and hands-on experiences in making cod shreds fish snack. Additionally, the Regional Career Exploration and Experience Demonstration Center of Municipal Dongsin Junior High School in Pingtung County shared their vocational exploration courses for maritime, aquatic, and food groups. The goal of these two in-person courses was not only to enhance industry knowledge but also to aid participating teachers in future marine career education courses.

　　The Marine Career Exploration Tours are held twice a year, with one session each in the first and second halves of the year. Applications for the second session will be announced in early August. Teachers who participate in this training workshop will become future tour lecturers, with the expectation that, after gaining a comprehensive understanding of the marine industry, they will share this knowledge with students, parents, and even the public, thus conveying the diverse aspects of the marine industry.