What we Offer

Sustaining excellence in our Shipping companies

We offer opportunities for Work-Study programs and help create a more ready, willing and able entry-level workforce, through holistic guidance touching upon fundamentals like self-awareness and sense of purpose. Our Work-Study program includes Internships, Apprenticeships (μαθητείες) and Office Visits. PROJECT CONNECT is Shipping’s first HR hub, officially set up in 2015, helping young professionals in-the-making to “jump start” their careers in the shipping industry, whether sea-going or on-shore, along with offering self-development seminars and “mentor-ships”. We encourage shipping companies to offer opportunities of learning through work experience, from freshman period onward, through our facility.

At the same time, PROJECT CONNECT offers the opportunity to shipping companies to handle internship programs efficiently and effectively in order to stimulate work productivity, without disturbing the existing personnel’s activity. It also serves as an auxiliary facility to career placement departments of educational institutions and promotes self-development seminars.

We have established “Adopt a Ship” in Greek Primary Schools. AaS is a project-based educational program and a very effective way to brand and educate young children about the relevance of the shipping industry to their lives and lives at sea.

“Mentor-ships”: “Company heads are invited to act as role models and help jump start a worthy student’s career by showing them the ropes, early on. You would be participating in social responsibility, at a time of crisis, in our beautiful country”, says PC founder, Irene Notias.

We run businesses too and know that if we want to sustain our companies, we need to help prepare and train the next generation workforce well.

“Χαλεπώτερον το φυλάττειν του κτήσασθαι” Demosthenes statement: ”It is more difficult to preserve than to acquire”

How We Operate

With Simplicity

We host a self-service on-line CV database of pre-screened undergraduates thru a registration interview. The candidates receive guidance on shipping’s work ethic, office conduct, admin and communications skills, the relevance of good grades, meritocracy and teamwork, for the good of the company. Moreover, they are assessed by a unique HR tool, OWIWI on 8 main character attributes (accountability, adaptability, decision making, willingness to change, integrity, learning agility, resilience, teamwork). Owiwi changes the way companies attract, select, and retain top talent. It provides  them with a cutting-edge blend of science and gameplay to find the perfect candidate for the job.

We encourage our member companies to together cultivate a more ready, willing and capable future generation workforce, by offering chances for Work-Study placements in all departments and sectors (operations, chartering, technical, accounting, insurance, legal and HR) where they will develop their admin, language, digital and soft skills sets.

We recommend exposure in the operations departments for beginners, so they can understand shipping best from the perspective of the actual operations of a vessel and the trade. We encourage vessel visits and short-distance voyage travels.

We provide easy-to-use Work-Study Programs and work closely with our member Shipping industry’s principals and managers with the aim to inspire excellence in the workplace.

Benefits for Shipping Students & Shipping Companies:

Access to young professionals-in-the-making that are ready, willing and able to learn and apply themselves for our member Shipping companies who take on eager students..

Showing them the ropes in shipping — the basics in administration and operations departments — by practical office work experience with the “Brain Bank” that are running the ships and the maritime cluster today.

For companies, it works like this, in just 3 stages!

Stage 1: Member companies have access to our work Study programs and select from the CV database, a pre-screened shipping student.
Stage 2: In the first week, your designated employee carves out a few hours a day to train the candidate on 3 to 5 specific tasks and let him/her perform, while, in exchange, he/she can offer their computer skills and admin support, for the agreed period.
Stage 3: Once the period is over, a brief checklist appraisal is filled in by you, showing the student where to improve!

For Students, it works like this, in just 4 steps!

Step 1: Apply in our Database and return the completed Student Members Registration Form to: bridge@project-connect.gr
Step 2: The registration interview & guidance (MY SHIPPING CAREER Student’s Tool Kit)
Step 3: The Placement & Self – Development Webinars
Step 4: The Assessment – for improvement to be employable !

Work Study Descriptions

Office Visit: This is a first-time shipping office experience where students are shown all the departments and what their responsibilities are (1 month duration, max 5 hours per week).

Apprenticeship: An “Apprentice” learns a trade or profession, in exchange for support for a set term (2 to 6 months). Remuneration is not applicable because it is an educational training process (μαθητεία).

Internship: An “Intern” offers admin support tasks (data entry, e-mail monitoring, filing, dictation, telephone/reception) that are predetermined and explained by delegated employee, for a term (2 to 6 months) and assessed. Remuneration is applicable.

Sandwich Course: This is an offshore placements for a experience aboard a vessel, in between degree programs (i.e. short-sea travel experience). Remuneration is applicable.

Participating Member Companies

Alibra Shipping Ltd., Arcadia Shipmanagement Co. Ltd., Ariston Navigation, Atlas Maritime Ltd., Dalex Shipping Co S.A., Franman, Grace Trading Corporation LLC., ICS, Load Line Marine S.A., Phoenix Shipping & Trading S.A., Prime’s Bunkersplus, Seaven Group, Starbulk, SteelShips LLC.

• Alpha Bulkers
• Arcadia Shipmanagement
• Ariston Navigation
• Dynamarine
• Eastern Mediterranean Maritime
• Franman
• Ganmar Shipping
• Gac Shipping

• Grace Trading Corporation LLC
• I.Notias & Co. (Prime’s Bunkersplus Services)
• Ioannis and Antonis Angelicoussis Foundation
• Koronakis D.
• Lotus Shipping Company
• Marine Tours
• Nautilus Energy Management – SevenSeas
• Phoenix Shipping & Trading

• Seaven Group
• Star Bulk
• The Swedish Club Piraeus
• Tototheo Maritime Ltd. Cyprus
• Ulysses Systems