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Skills to Succeed Overview

Countries spanned

Youth trained in employability, entrepreneurial, life, and digital skills

Youth supported to access a job, start a business, or continue to higher education within 6 months of S2S

248,000+

135,000+

53% male

47% female

Currently: Bangladesh, China, Italy, Indonesia, Mexico, Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam

Formerly: Egypt

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Setting the Tide: Background

Pilot in Palermo, Italy
Youth unemployment at 17.5%, more than double the

national average of 7.6%

Work with youth 15-24 through two main pathways:

In-School youth in disadvantaged neighborhoods

Out-of-school youth through community centers

Why a Blue Economy Pilot?

Youth looking for employment, who felt that jobs in the blue economy were distant & unattainable

Employers struggling to fill entry level roles

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Where Immersion Meets Inspiration: Pilot Overview

Program Goal: To bridge the gap between untapped youth talent and employer demand by blending environmental education with career readiness

Reach: Over 100 youth from marginalized communities in Palermo

Building a Connection to the Sea and Opportunity

Masterclasses led by female leaders in the maritime industry to offer powerful role models and break down stereotypes

Inspiration

Hands-on learning, including sailing excursions with classes held at sea, shipyard visits, and marine conservation activities to make careers tangible

Experience

A dedicated Career Day and enterprise visits to create direct, face-to-face links between youth and local employers

Connection

A curriculum co-designed with youth, embedding a “green/blue” and “growth” mindset focused on resilience and environmental responsibility

Mindset

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Setting Sail: Progress to Date

Three of our participants gained paid internships after completing the pilot’s soft skills and technical training

Pilot reshaped how young people see the Blue Economy
Youth who once viewed maritime careers as distant began to see them as viable and inspiring pathways forward

Shifting Perceptions to Create Employment Pathways

Yacht Company Administration

Boat Maintenance

Ship Outfitting

Two recently out of the juvenile justice system

One from one of Palermo’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods

Securing Paid Internships

Internships Gained

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Setting Sail: Progress to Date

Increased Interest & Accessibility

Deeper Understanding of Sector

Improved Soft Skills

Participants reported a greater interest in maritime careers & a stronger belief that these paths were truly accessible to them

Participants began to see the Blue Economy not as a single industry, but as a rich ecosystem of careers in shipbuilding, marine conservation, tourism, and logistics

In-school participants demonstrated improvement in teamwork, collaboration, and follow-through on projects

Award Finalist

Save the Children Italy’s Blue Economy Pilot selected as a finalist for the Blue Green Economy Award

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Anchored in Learning: Insights from the Pilot

Identifying the right partnerships is crucial

Save the Children Italy mapped key stakeholders
Bridging the gap between education, environmental awareness and tangible employment outcomes

Need for deeper vocational guidance, clear entry routes, and ongoing connections
Skills development should align with existing workforce needs

Mix of experiential learning & sustainability boosted participant engagement
Clearer goal-setting and tighter activity timelines needed to maintain momentum

Career pathways & skills development should be based on the maritime industry needs

Experiential learning is powerful, but requires clear structure

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A Future to Dive Into: What’s Next

Building on early successes, the next phase of the pilot integrates several key enhancements:

Robust career support: Through a new partnership with a local employment agency, offering job placement support and vocational training referrals

Streamlined delivery: Concentrating activities within a 6–8-week window to sustain engagement and reduce drop-off

Expectation setting: Aligning participants with project employment goals, particularly for out-of-school youth

Blue Economy Toolkit: With adaptable lesson plans, facilitation guides, and planning tools to enable replication

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