The Stone Soup Leadership Institute's
Sustainable Workforce Development Network
Blue Economy • Business Survey

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* 1. Name

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* 2. Company

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* 3. Organization Service Area (e.g. city/county/zip-postal code served):

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* 4. Number of current employees

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* 5. Which Blue Economy sector(s) best describes your company? (Select all that apply)

Aquaculture

Blue Tech

Blue Entrepreneur/Finance

Clean Water Management

Environmental Engineering

GIS/Sustainable Technology

Green Building

Marine Biology

Marine Electrical Technology

Oceanography

Offshore Wind

Regenerative Agriculture

Solar Energy

Sustainable Architecture

Other

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* 6. Projection: What are some Blue Skills/Jobs that you expect to be hiring for in the next 1-5 years?

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

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* 7. What is the pay range for jobs at your company? (1-5 years of experience):

€15,000-€25,000............... |............... $17,500 - $29,000

€25,000-€50,000............... |...............$29,000 - $58,000

€50,000-€75,000............... |...............$58,000 - $87,500

€75,000-€100,000..............|............... $87,500 - $116,500

€100,000-€125,000.............|............... $116,500 – $145,600

€125,000-€150,000.............|............. $145,600 - $175,000

>€150,000............. .............|............. $175,000

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* 8. How likely is your company to hire local talent vs. recruiting nationally/internationally?

Clear

i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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* 9. To what extent is blue skills workforce availability currently a challenge for your company?

Not a challenge

Minor challenge

Moderate challenge

Significant challenge

Critical challenge affecting operations

Not a challenge

Minor challenge

Moderate challenge

Significant challenge

Critical challenge affecting operations

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* 10. What type of workforce issues do you experience most? (Select all that apply)

Difficulty recruiting qualified technical profiles

Lack of experienced mid-level professionals

Shortage of entry-level talent

High turnover / retention issues

Skills mismatch (Education and training not aligned with industry needs)

Seasonal workforce instability

Geographic mismatch (talent not located where needed)

Lack of practical / hands-on experience among candidates

Competition with other sectors or countries

Salary expectations vs. company capacity

Limited awareness of Blue Economy careers

Bureaucratic or regulatory constraints

Seasonality of the sector

Other (please specify)

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* 11. Which skill areas are currently the hardest to find or develop? (Select up to 5)

Technical / operational skills

Digital & data skills

Engineering & applied sciences

Project management

Health, safety & regulatory compliance

Leadership & team management

Sustainability & environmental expertise

Adaptability

Analytical skills

Attention to detail

Conflict Resolution

Critical Thinking

Cultural Respect/Appreciation

Interpersonal Skills

Motivation/Perseverance

Passion for Sustainability

Problem Solving and Resourcefulness

Public Speaking

Teamwork

Time Management

Other

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* 12. Which of these sustainable certificates would be most valuable to your company?

Certified Energy Manager

Certified Business Energy Professional Certification

Certified Climate Change Professional

City Climate Planner Urban Greenhouse Gas Inventory Specialist Certification

Circular Economy Alliance Certificate

Clean Water Quality Professional Technician Certificate

Commercial Fishing At-Sea Monitoring Certificate

Drinking Water Quality Professional Technician Certificate

ESG: Sustainable Finance

Geographic Information Systems

Global Reporting Initiative Professional Certification

International Supply Chain Education Alliance Certified Analyst

Leading the Sustainability Transformation Professional Certification

Marine Electrical Technician

Offshore Wind Power Technology Certificate

Renewable Energy Professional Certificate

Solar Energy Certificate

Sustainable Agriculture Certificate

Sustainability Accounting Standards

U.S. Green Building Council LEED Certification

Other

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* 13. How is your company currently supporting Blue Skills Development?

Internal training or upskilling

Partnerships with universities or training centers

Internships (paid)

Internships (unpaid)

Apprenticeship

International recruitment

Mentorship

On the job training

Scholarships

Sponsorships

Blue/STEM partnerships: schools

Blue Job Fairs

Blue Career Planning/Placement

No structured approach yet

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* 14. What Blue Workforce Development partnerships would your company be interested in offering?(Select all that apply)

Guest speakers

Mentors

Paid internships

Apprenticeships

On-the-job training

Scholarships or sponsorships

Participation in Blue Job Fairs

Career planning or job placement support

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* 15. In your own words, how do workforce challenges influence the future of your company and the Blue Economy in Portugal? What should be done differently(eg: education, workforce, policy, etc)? What are some initiatives that would help your company?

Stone Soup Leadership Institute

The Stone Soup Leadership Institute's Sustainable Workforce Development NetworkBlue Economy • Business Survey

Question Title

* 1. Name

Question Title

* 2. Company

Question Title

* 3. Organization Service Area (e.g. city/county/zip-postal code served):

Question Title

* 4. Number of current employees

Question Title

* 5. Which Blue Economy sector(s) best describes your company? (Select all that apply)

Question Title

* 6. Projection: What are some Blue Skills/Jobs that you expect to be hiring for in the next 1-5 years?

Question Title

* 7. What is the pay range for jobs at your company? (1-5 years of experience):

Question Title

* 8. How likely is your company to hire local talent vs. recruiting nationally/internationally?

Question Title

* 9. To what extent is blue skills workforce availability currently a challenge for your company?

Question Title

* 10. What type of workforce issues do you experience most? (Select all that apply)

Question Title

* 11. Which skill areas are currently the hardest to find or develop? (Select up to 5)

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* 12. Which of these sustainable certificates would be most valuable to your company?

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* 13. How is your company currently supporting Blue Skills Development?

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* 14. What Blue Workforce Development partnerships would your company be interested in offering?(Select all that apply)

Question Title

* 15. In your own words, how do workforce challenges influence the future of your company and the Blue Economy in Portugal? What should be done differently(eg: education, workforce, policy, etc)? What are some initiatives that would help your company?

The Stone Soup Leadership Institute's
Sustainable Workforce Development Network
Blue Economy • Business Survey