Youth unemployment remains a serious challenge across Solomon Islands, especially in rural and coastal communities where formal job opportunities are scarce.
Although many young people graduate with certificates and degrees, the shift from classroom learning to meaningful employment is often difficult.
The WorldFish Nusatupe Innovation Hub in Western Province is helping to bridge that gap.
Situated within a long-established Marine Protected Area near Gizo, the hub provides a practical learning space where young graduates gain hands-on skills, field experience, and professional networks—key elements often missing after graduation.
The Hub provides an accessible, bio-diverse marine environment that serves as a living laboratory for applied learning.
Just offshore lies a 14-hectare Marine Protected Area that has been actively conserved for over two decades.
This vibrant ecosystem, home to giant clams and diverse coral habitats, offers an ideal setting for immersive learning and field-based research in marine science, conservation, and climate adaptation.
When combined with demonstration gardens established on the island by partner organization Kastom Gaden Association (KGA), the hub offers a platform for young people to gain hands-on experience in sustainable resource management, agroecology, and community-based resource management.
The six-week internship program targets graduates from Rural Training Centres and University institutions such as Fiji National University (FNU), the University of the South Pacific (USP) and the Solomon Islands National University (SINU).
The program combines theory with real-world application. Interns receive foundational training in environmental stewardship, sustainable resource governance, and building resilience to the impacts of climate change on marine and coastal livelihoods.
They then participate directly in coral nursery maintenance and planting, seaweed farming trials, climate-resilient organic gardening, and daily station operations. Mentorship from fisheries officers, NGO practitioners, and community leaders strengthens not only technical skills but also teamwork, leadership, and community engagement.
Since the internship initiative began in 2024, around 36 young people have completed the program as of the end of 2025.
Several have progressed into employment within conservation and resource management sectors.
Among them is Mr. Kent Sotutu, who now holds a permanent position.
Kent graduated from USP in 2024 with a Bachelor’s degree in Marine Management.
Recognizing that academic knowledge alone was not enough, he joined the Nusatupe internship in April last year to gain field experience.
“I saw the internship as an opportunity to prepare myself for real work,” he told this paper in an interview.
During the six-week placement, Kent developed practical skills in coral restoration, coastal monitoring, and community engagement, while building important professional connections.
He later secured a position as a Conservation Officer with WWF Solomon Islands. Today, he credits the internship for boosting his confidence and readiness for the workplace.
Recently, Kent returned to Nusatupe to share his journey with four new female graduates who have just started their internship.
Two completed their studies at USP in Fiji and two at SINU. They come from Temotu, Malaita, and Choiseul provinces, reflecting the program’s growing national reach.
“Being a graduate is important,” Kent told the new graduates
“but field experience teaches humility, teamwork, and how to apply knowledge in real communities,” he added.
Ms. Doris Kejoa said hearing Kent’s story encouraged her as a new graduate.
Iris Maeniuta added that the opportunity to plant coral and snorkel within the Marine Protected Area [MPA] allowed her to experience practically what she had previously only studied in theory.
According to Dr. Gregory Bennett, Innovation Lead at WorldFish, the program continues to expand due to strong interest.
This year, the hub aims to host 20 interns, with four already underway.
Through the Nusatupe Innovation Hub, WorldFish is investing not only in marine conservation and climate resilience, but in the future of Solomon Islands youth equipping them with the skills, confidence, and purpose needed to build sustainable communities.
By ULUTAH GINA
Solomon Star Gizo
