Early Career Ocean Professionals (ECOPs)

The goal of the ECOP Programme is to support early career ocean professionals (ECOPs) in their capacity development and work by providing meaningful networking, training, professional development, funding opportunities and creating capacity for cooperation and knowledge exchange.

For the purpose of the ECOP Programme, an ECOP is a person that self-identifies as being early in their career, within 10 years or less of professional experience in any field related to the ocean. This definition includes post-secondary students and any volunteer roles, so not only employed/paid positions. The term ‘professional’ is used in order to be inclusive of professionals from various sectors of society.

You can join the Programme here.

Download the newly released ECOP brochure here.

Start Date: 01/01/2021
End Date: 31/12/2030

Lead Contact: Evgeniia Kostianaia (e.kostianaia@unesco.org)

The ECOP Programme has launched several campaigns. Dive into the playlists below to find out more:

• Meet the ECOP Programme Coordinators
• Explore my Coastline
• ECOP Japan Video Letters

In 2024 the ECOP Programme released two video series, which were screened at side events during the Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona:

• The Ocean Literacy Series is a collection of short films sharing innovative practices from diverse regions, fostering collaboration among people and institutions worldwide. Learn more here.
• Voices from the Ocean features short interviews with underrepresented coastal and Indigenous communities across El Salvador, Brazil, Sierra Leone, Malaysia, Honduras, India and Costa Rica. Watch it here.

Curious about who is an ECOP? Then visit our campaigns:

• ECOP Stories
• ECOP Conversations
• and Ocean Decade ECOPs which features ECOPs from around the world and how they are working towards the Ocean Decade