A Training Reflection

Photo courtesy by Sea Potential, LLC. Ebony Welborn

By Ebony Welborn, Sea Potential, LLC

I've been reflecting on the concept of training—what it means, how it looks, and how we define success. I recently returned from the Teaching with Small Boats Alliance Conference and have begun working on the second iteration of Aquaculture Manager Training with Washington Sea Grant (WSG). Additionally, I’m considering the new employee we plan to bring on in early 2025. At Sea Potential, we are continually engaged in training for our youth, the community supporting them, and their employers. This ongoing reflection ensures that what we offer remains beneficial to us as individuals, community members, and educators. With all of this on my mind, I wanted to share my thoughts on the Aquaculture Manager Training. Perhaps you’ll find these insights valuable as you navigate or create your own training initiatives.

First, let’s define what training means to Sea Potential. Training, (www.oed.com) is “the action of teaching a person or animal a particular skill or type of behavior.” Our training is grounded in the development of critical thinking skills through a social justice framework. Why is this important to Sea Potential? The number of individuals fortunate enough to be less affected by social justice issues is steadily decreasing and if you find yourself newly aware of these dynamics, welcome! We will explore how to incorporate these topics into your processing skills. For those who have always felt the impact of social justice issues, we aim to build your capacity to articulate these concepts and implement ideas and solutions in your current and future professional and educational relationships. By grounding our training in a social justice framework, we center collective power to drive change. With this understanding of training and the parameters guiding our interactions, let’s get into the reflection.

This may not come as a surprise, but creating space for conversation should be a core element of any training. People carry a lot of thoughts and feelings, which are completely valid, and it’s essential to foster an environment that allows the group to be present and address what needs to be discussed in order to advance the training topic. During the manager training that we co-created and facilitated with Washington Sea Grant, we had a wealth of valuable information and resources to share with the group, and we did so effectively. Providing access to information can pave the way for success; sometimes, it truly comes down to having the right resources at hand. In our training, we covered topics such as:

●      Employee Physical and Mental Health

●      Employee Housing and Transportation

●      Fundamentals of Employee Retention

●      Second Careers and Second Chances

●      The Next-Generation Workforce

●      Immigrant and Hispanic Employees

●      Employees with Diverse Identities

●      Youth Engagement and Recruitment

If you take the time to reflect on these overarching themes, you'll notice that some areas may require more information—such as employee housing and transportation. This training was designed for growers on the West Coast of Washington State, so it’s important to recognize that their housing and transportation challenges differ from those in places like Seattle. Nevertheless, this was an opportunity to provide existing resources that could simplify the process of supporting employees in these aspects.

In discussions around the housing and transportation topics, conversation proved invaluable for venting frustrations and generating ideas. For instance, when exploring the next generation workforce, there is certainly a wealth of information to share, but it’s best used to frame and support the conversation. While the sharing of information helps conceptualize the topic, the dialogue deepens understanding. Conversations help solidify knowledge because they create core memories or experiences to which participants can relate the information learned.

Here’s an example that might resonate: instead of starting with a barrage of information about generational traits and characteristics, we divided participants into groups by generation and facilitated an open discussion using guiding questions. This approach allowed for diverse perspectives, thoughts, and workplace approaches to be shared. We then mixed the groups, enabling participants to hear what each generation discussed. This helped contextualize generational differences, affirm what participants did and did not know, and explore the nuances that previously hindered retention of information.

Time is always a constraint when discussing topics like this, but based on our own insights and participant feedback, we are adjusting this year’s curriculum to allow for more space for meaningful conversations.

I began by comparing the needs surrounding topics such as Employee Housing and Transportation with those of the Next Generation Workforce, and I’ll continue along that theme. Another identified need for addressing these topics is that they are both influenced by systems beyond our control, though in different ways. Most individuals and organizations lack the financial resources to address housing and transportation challenges, while understanding how society, history, and culture impact the next generation workforce tends to be more accessible. This latter is knowledge that can be learned and applied at a slightly quicker pace.

While we considered these factors and devised a different approach for the discussion, we didn’t clearly communicate to participants what could and could not be accomplished in the time we had together. Clearly stating expectations allows for more productive conversations that foster growth and feel more manageable. Next year, we plan to start with shared expectations to save time and prevent the need to redirect conversations or urge participants to think more broadly or in both short- and long-term.

Although there was an area for improvement, offering that support to these organizations was enriching to them and us. The success of the WSG training lay in creating a space for open and honest conversation, where many employees felt comfortable being candid with their employers. When voices are valued, it builds trust within the organization and among local businesses, deepening understanding across diverse perspectives. The group was also connected to local experts who could continue to support their ideas and growth, highlighting the often-underutilized gift of community resources. Success, for us, means not having all the answers but equipping participants with the tools to hold meaningful conversations and collaboratively work towards solutions. We are excited for the next iteration of the program! If you're interested in developing skills in communication, critical thinking, and collective approach, we encourage you to join us for the new and improved version of the training. Registration will open December 20th for the winter 2025 course and you can sign up via this link when it opens.