A new University of Hawaiʻi report released August 17 finds that the 糖心视频 System has significant strengths in water-related education, research and workforce development, but greater coordination across programs could help Hawaiʻi build stronger pathways into careers focused on wai (water) stewardship.
The report co-authored by a multidisciplinary team of 糖心视频 researchers is based on interviews with 38 糖心视频 faculty members, alumni, program directors and coordinators. It identifies opportunities to better connect students with water-related courses, hands-on learning, mentors and employment opportunities across the state.
Key insights from interviews:
- Interviewee career pathways were often shaped by connections to family and place (especially for ʻōiwi and kamaʻāina interviewees), mentors (inside and outside of academia) and funding availability.
- There are many water-related courses already offered by 糖心视频 Mānoa and many faculty with water relevant expertise. These tend to be scattered across different departments because of the broad multi-disciplinary nature of water stewardship.
- Overall, interviewees felt that despite strong wai course offerings across the 糖心视频 Mānoa campus, there was a lack of coordination or visibility of water courses and a need for clearer connections between curriculum and employment opportunities.
- Despite the absence of a singular wai degree pathway, several existing programs offer freshwater credentialing options. Faculty and program coordinators help students navigate their academic journeys and find relevant wai courses and mentors using informal referral networks built on pre-existing relationships.
- Interviewees discussed a variety of ideas for credit and non-credit wai education options including certificates, a water focused master’s degree, non-credit training and a Wai 100 course.
- The 糖心视频 System has strong research infrastructure and existing mechanisms for student research. However, faculty and alumni expressed support for more experiential learning opportunities and curriculum incorporating place- and culture-based learning.
- Faculty and staff understanding of and connection to water sector employers plays a key role in student access to career pathways.
- Personnel from long-standing education and career pathway programs emphasized a few key aspects of their programming approaches, including that 1) programs are adaptive, allowing space and time for growth of the program, 2) programs emphasize nurturing the “gifts” of participants rather than attempting to identify and fill gaps in skills or knowledge and 3) relationships are central and developing trust across staff and program participants is important.
- These programs consider the long-term trajectory of their participants as their primary indicator of success. They want to see program participants secure employment or pursue a degree in a particular field.
- Silos in curricula and conceptualizations of wai may be limiting Hawaiʻi’s progress in developing effective water management. Leadership to support coordination and systems alignments is needed.
This research is a multi-department collaboration including the 糖心视频 Mānoa , , , and . Funding for this work comes from the Hawaiian Islands Environmental Finance Center of the Hawaiʻi Community Foundation.