SBEP Indigenous: Your Experience Counts
SBEP Indigenous gives First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in Canada a way to show how their skills, knowledge and experience connect to work in the sustainable blue economy.
The application focuses on what you know, and what you have done.
Know it. Show it.
* Create an account or log in to get started.
What is SBEP Indigenous?
An Indigenous Pathway to Sustainable Blue Economy Professional (SBEP) Recognition
The Sustainable Blue Economy Professional (SBEP) designation recognizes the skills, knowledge and experience that support Canada's sustainable blue economy.
The Indigenous application pathway is designed for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in Canada, recognizing that professional experience can be built in many ways, including through employment, education, community roles, stewardship, cultural practice, training and other hands-on experience.
Who is SBEP Indigenous For?
SBEP Indigenous is for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in Canada with experience connected to ocean, coastal or freshwater-to-ocean environments.
Your Experience Matters
A job title does not always reflect everything you know or can do. SBEP Indigenous considers how you have built and applied your skills through work, community roles, stewardship, cultural practice, education, training and other hands-on experience.
Your Experience May Look Like
- Working on the Water
- Fishing & Harvesting
- Stewardship & Restoration
- Environmental Monitoring
- Community Leadership
- Marine Operations
- Safety & Emergency Response
- Teaching & Knowledge Sharing
Your experience may look different. You do not need a specific job title for your skills and experience to be relevant.
Create an account or log in to get started.
What Makes This Pathway Different?
SBEP Indigenous is designed to recognize skills and experience that can be overlooked by traditional approaches to professional recognition.
It focuses on what you know and what you can do, not only your education or job title.
The pathway allows you to demonstrate your skills through:
Real-world scenarios
Show how you would apply your knowledge and skills in practical situations.
Flexible evidence
Use different types of evidence to demonstrate skills you have gained through your work and experience.
Different ways of knowing and learning
Lived experience, cultural practice and community knowledge may be relevant when connected to the skills being assessed.
Know it. Show it.
How the Application Works
The SBEP Indigenous application gives you the opportunity to demonstrate what you know, how you apply your skills, and the experience you've built.
Download the Applicant GuideCheck Your Eligibility
Answer a few questions to confirm the pathway is right for you.
Create Your Profile
Tell us about your background, experience and goals.
Choose Your Focus Areas
Select the areas that best reflect your skills and experience.
Complete Your Scenarios
Show how you would apply your knowledge and skills in real-world situations.
Upload Supporting Evidence
Provide evidence that demonstrates your experience and skills.
Review Your Application
Make sure your application is complete and ready to submit.
Submit for Review
Your application will be reviewed by the Blue Economy Certification Advisory Board (BECAB). You may be contacted if more information is needed.
Your Information & Privacy
Your application may include personal, professional or community information. Your information will be handled securely and confidentially throughout the application and review process.
SBEP Indigenous follows OCAP® principles and ECO Canada's requirements for privacy, consent, data handling, storage and retention. You may also request that your application information be permanently deleted at any time.
What is SBEP Indigenous?
An Indigenous Pathway to Sustainable Blue Economy Professional (SBEP) Recognition
The Sustainable Blue Economy Professional (SBEP) designation recognizes the skills, knowledge and experience that support Canada’s sustainable blue economy.
The Indigenous application pathway is designed for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in Canada, recognizing that professional experience can be built in many ways, including through employment, education, community roles, stewardship, cultural practice, training and other hands-on experience.
Who is SBEP Indigenous For?
SBEP Indigenous is for First Nations, Inuit and Métis people in Canada with experience connected to ocean, coastal or freshwater-to-ocean environments.
Fisheries & Aquaculture
Fisheries, harvesting, aquaculture and related work
Stewardship & Monitoring
Environmental monitoring, stewardship and Guardianship
Marine Operations
Vessels, navigation, marine operations and safety
Technical & Project Work
Data, planning, technical systems, engineering and projects
Leadership & Community
Community leadership, communications and resource work
Research & Learning
Ocean, coastal or water-based research, education, training and certifications
Your Experience May Look Like
Your Experience Matters
A job title does not always reflect everything you know or can do. SBEP Indigenous considers how you have built and applied your skills through work, community roles, stewardship, cultural practice, education, training and other hands-on experience.
Working on the Water, Fishing & Harvesting, Stewardship & Restoration, Environmental Monitoring, Community Leadership, Marine Operations, Safety & Emergency Response, Teaching & Knowledge Sharing
Your experience may look different. You do not need a specific job title for your skills and experience to be relevant.
Create an account or log in to get started.
Know it. Show it.
How the Application Works
The SBEP Indigenous application gives you the opportunity to demonstrate what you know, how you apply your skills, and the experience you’ve built.
-
Check Your Eligibility
Answer a few questions to confirm the pathway is right for you.
-
Create Your Profile
Tell us about your background, experience and goals.
-
Choose Your Focus Areas
Select the areas that best reflect your skills and experience.
-
Complete Your Scenarios
Show how you would apply your knowledge and skills in real-world situations.
-
Upload Supporting Evidence
Provide evidence that demonstrates your experience and skills.
-
Review Your Application
Make sure your application is complete and ready to submit.
-
Submit for Review
Your application will be reviewed by the Blue Economy Certification Advisory Board (BECAB). You may be contacted if more information is needed.
1. Check your eligibility
Answer a few questions to confirm the pathway is right for you.
2. Create Your Profile
Build a profile that describes your background. This may include paid work, volunteer experience,
community roles, lived experience, education, training and other forms of learning. You may also
identify people who can help confirm your experience where needed.
3. Explore the focus areas
You may choose one, several or no specialized focus areas. Focus areas help organize your
experience and may help connect your application with reviewers who have relevant expertise.
Professional, Leadership & Communications applies to all applicants.
4. Complete practical scenarios
You will respond to practical situations that ask how you would think about a situation, what you
would consider and what actions you would take. The purpose is to show how you apply your
knowledge and experience in real situations.
5. Provide supporting information
The application provides ways to support or confirm the experience you describe. Depending on
your situation, this may include work or training records, descriptions of projects or roles, references,
community confirmation, work examples, photos or videos, written descriptions, or other approved
ways of confirming experience. V4 also recognizes situations where information may need to be
redacted, restricted or confirmed another way.
6. Confirm and submit
Before submitting, you confirm that the information you have provided is true and accurate to the
best of your knowledge.
7. Your application is reviewed
Applications are reviewed by the Blue Economy Certification and Approvals Board (BECAB).
Reviewers may consider your profile, scenario responses, supporting information and references or
community confirmations. They may contact you if they need more information or clarification.
BECAB reviewers are required to sign confidentiality agreements. The review process typically takes
4-6 weeks.
What Happens After You Apply?
Once your application is complete, BECAB reviews the information you provided.
You may be contacted if reviewers need clarification or additional information. The review typically takes 4-6 weeks.
When a decision has been made, you will be contacted by email.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a university degree?
The program recognizes that relevant skills and experience may come from many places, including
employment, training, community roles, lived experience, land- and water-based activity and
formal education. Meeting the final eligibility and application requirements still matters.
Do I have to choose a focus area?
No. You may choose one, several or no specialized focus areas. Professional, Leadership &
Communications applies to all applicants.
Is the scenario activity a writing test?
The scenarios are intended to help you explain how you apply your knowledge and experience in
practical situations. The process focuses on applied knowledge rather than writing ability or theory
testing.
How long will my application take to review?
The BECAB review process typically takes 4-6 weeks. You may be contacted if
reviewers need more information.
Can a community member or reference help confirm my experience?
Yes. BECAB may consider information from community contacts, Elders, Knowledge Holders,
supervisors, project leads or other references. These people can help confirm experience, but they
do not make the certification decision.
Do I have to provide portfolio evidence?
Yes. BECAB may consider information from community contacts, Elders, Knowledge Holders,
supervisors, project leads or other references. These people can help confirm experience, but they
do not make the certification decision.
I already have SBEP. Can I also complete SBEP Indigenous?
Yes, you are able to hold both the SBEP or SBEP Specialized designation along with SBEP Indigenous. If you already hold an existing SBEP designation you can get your application fee for SBEP Indigenous waived. Contact us at SBEP@eco.ca for more details.
Ready to Learn More?
Your experience may already include skills that matter across Canada’s blue economy.
SBEP Indigenous gives you a structured way to describe what you know, what you have done and how you use those skills in real situations.
Know it. Show it.
Your Information & Privacy
Your application may include personal, professional or community information. Your information will be handled securely and confidentially throughout the application and review process.
SBEP Indigenous follows OCAP® principles and ECO Canada’s requirements for privacy, consent, data handling, storage and retention. You may also request that your application information be permanently deleted at any time.