Project Connect: Honored by Lloyds List Greek Shipping Awards

The “Award for Achievement in Education or Training” award, in recognition of the great work it offers for the education of the next generation of professionals and the sustainability of Greek Shipping, was received at the Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards 2022, by Project Connect.

This specific award is given to organizations that, with their presence and actions, contribute to academic and professional training and have strengthened the Greek shipping industry. One such organization is Project Connect, which was founded as an Urban Non-Profit Company in May 2015 on the initiative of Mrs. Irene Notia and aims to connect students of maritime studies with shipping companies for practical training, so that they become effective professionals and create job opportunities, making Greek shipping more competitive in the international arena. In order to strengthen this direction, Project Connect has undertaken in recent years a series of important initiatives, which illuminate in the best way its innovative work.

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Also read – ‘Ship Adoption’ and other innovative actions from Project Connect

The “ON LINE CV PLATFORM”

Starting with the “ON LINE CV PLATFORM”, this program was the first online CV Data Base and came in response to a constant request from shipping students to connect with shipping companies. In this way, the HR Departments of Project Connect member companies can search and locate suitable personnel for internships and Entry Level positions. The platform is complemented by the “Virtual 3D Shipping Company Tour” program, which allows students and students of maritime studies to tour in a three-dimensional way the environment of a Shipping Company and familiarize themselves with the working conditions there for the first time.

“Adopt a ship”

In addition, Project Connect has left its mark on Greek education through the “Adopt a Ship” program, the innovative action that for the last five years has been approved by the Ministry of Education and is under the auspices of the Ministry of Shipping, the General Secretariat of Demographics and of Family Policy and Gender Equality, but also of HELMEPA. The program aims to introduce students to the world of ships, life at sea and international trade, with more than 7,300 students and 280 teachers from 118 schools of all levels from all over the country taking part and supporting it in annual base.

The students exchange electronic letters with the captains and the teachers teach through the Program History, Mathematics, Language, Geography, IT, English, Music, Art. Through evaluations it appears that many students can’t wait to go to school to read the Captain’s letter, several have expressed a desire to follow a maritime profession and some want to become sailors. At the same time, the sailors feel that they are contributing to the children’s education and are encouraged that Project Connect bridges them with land.