The children from Ulstein school widen their eyes when Jeanette Giske Hjelle dissects a fish and passes around the green gall bladder and brain of the fish to arouse the interest of the audience.
Jeanette Giske Hjelle is pedagogically responsible at the Atlanterhavsparken Witensenter in Ålesund.
– This is a lot of fun. That brain was very small, says fifth grader Ciline Lykke Agerup Johnsen.
EXCITING: Vetle Bror Småge, Ciline Lykke Agerup Johnsen and Sølve Johnsen Siverstøl from Ulstein school on the sea day at the Atlantic Ocean Park. Photo: Arne Rovick /TV 2
But it is a little too early for the fifth-graders to make their career choice now.
– I do not quite know. I want to become a veterinarian, says Hennie Saunes Ascheoug.
But it is a bit exciting.
– I think fish are a bit mysterious. They don’t have arms and they have gills. It’s strange that they can breathe underwater, says Hennie.
– It’s a bit fascinating, adds classmate Oliva Uhlen Magnussen.
Own sea day
Atlanterhavsparken Vitensenter has, together with the marine and maritime industry, started a recruitment project to get young people interested in everything related to the marine industry.
LEARNING AWAY: General manager Heidi Bostad Roaldsand at the Atlanterhavsparken Witensenter in Ålesund. Photo: Arne Rovick /TV 2
– The marine industry needs a lot of labor in the coming years. We have a strong desire to make students engaged and interested in the industry. These are the professionals of the future in the important marine industries that we will make a living from in North-West Norway. When the students learn about life in the sea, we also see that they care about it, says general manager Heidi Bostad Roaldsand at Atlanterhavsparken Vitensenter.
NUGGETS: William Overå Skeide, Henrik Sporstøl Toftesund, Nils Erik Giljarhus Linge and Kevin Ytre-Hauge from Ulstein school in full swing with the production of cod nuggets. Photo: Arne Rovick /TV 2
2,100 fifth-graders from more than 100 schools in Møre and Romsdal are invited to become the marine industry’s recruits. At Havdagen, cooking is also on the program: cod nuggets are made from scratch.
TODAY’S LUNCH: Live Møller Urke, Live Nærheim Vattøy, Hennie Saunes Ascheoug and Olivia Uhlen Magnussen from Ulstein school are very satisfied with the cod nugget. Photo: Arne Rovick /TV 2
– It tasted fantastic. It’s all the flavors mixed together that make this perfect, Hennie Saunes Ascheoug says happily as she and her friends enjoy the nugget meal.
Important job
Atlanterhavsparken in Ålesund has Northern Europe’s largest saltwater aquarium and opened a separate science center built around marine life just under a year ago. The center is the cornerstone for contributing to the fifth graders’ science skills in the marine industry.
SATISFIED: Ole Andreas Holm was very pleased with the visit from Ulstein school. Photo: Arne Rovick /TV 2
– It is wonderful to see the joy in the children’s eyes. I am speechless when I see the effect of what we are involved in, says general manager Ole Andreas Holm at the Marine Competence Center in Møre og Romsdal to TV 2.
But it’s not just about life in the sea. Equally important with the project is capturing the interest of those who can imagine working on a fishing boat or building the boat.
– Recruiting and getting young people to start in the blue industry is very important. Here we create curiosity and an interest by giving them the opportunity to see the sea as exciting to work with, says Ole Andreas Holm.
