Maritime Incubator to be established at the Port of Gdansk
The Port of Gdansk says buildings unfit for use today are soon to become a space for cooperation with start-ups, training courses for young people, and office and conference space. The Port of Gdansk wants to make specialist education available not only to schools or colleges, but also its business partners.
The former garage building at ul. Na Zaspę 57 does not look encouraging to visitors. It is used partly as a warehousefor old equipment, but mostly, it has been decommissioned due to poor technical condition. The Port of Gdansk Authority decided to breathe new life into it. An agreement for the redevelopment of the space and a cooperationagreement with Centrum Nowych Kompetencji (EN: Centre for New Competence) has just been signed.
"We have received a loan for the redevelopment within the framework of the Regional Operational Programme of Pomerania 2014-2020. Thanks to these funds, within a few years, the ruined building will be replaced with a new one, where young, innovative entrepreneurs will be able to work and school students will undergo training for work in the maritime industry. We can see there is a problem finding specialists, which is why we decided to take active part in the education of our future employees," says Lukasz Greinke, President of the PGA.
The building, which belongs to the Port of Gdansk Authority, has a floor area of over 470 square metres. After the redevelopment, it will offer office space, coworking space, conference rooms, and a café.
"Both start-ups and students, as well as larger commercial companies, our business partners for instance, will be able to use the conference space of the Incubator on preferential terms. In the newly developed space, they will be able to use modern simulators and see the effects of joint R+D projects carried out in cooperation with colleges and vocational schools from the Tri-City area. We also see the opportunity for organising student practice and training, workshops on port-related topics or multimedia classes for school students, which can also be held by our experts," explains Jowita Zielinkiewicz, Head of the Department of Innovation and Fund Acquisition at the Port of Gdansk.
The Port of Gdansk Authority also signed an agreement with Centrum Nowych Kompetencji, which will make it possible to hold specialist courses involving the use of simulators. This way, students or future employees of the port and logistics industry will get to know the specificity of their future work in realistic conditions.
"With a proper technical and logistic base, employers are able to provide those undergoing training for a given job with the best conditions to learn and take up work in the field later. This model of education also guarantees employers influence on the process of training young people in line with the most current market needs. Students who studied under the tutelage of the given employer often find permanent employment with them later," explainsJanusz Karp, Head of the Department of Maritime Education at the Ministry of Maritime Economy and Inland Navigation.
"We are currently dealing with an unprecedented increase in transshipments at Polish ports. We expect further strong impetus for development. This makes all those closely connected with the industry realise that without cooperation in the area of acquiring the best employees, we will miss this opportunity. So I feel really optimistic when I meet with understanding and engagement on the part of the Port of Gdansk Authority in creating a solid educational centre with a professional base. Comparing the methodology of training in other centres in the world, I am certain that the strategy adopted at Centrum Nowych Kompetencji is as innovative as can be," explains Tomasz Pelc from Centrum Nowych Kompetencji.
The cost of redevelopment of the building intended for the Maritime Incubator amounts to nearly PLN 5.5 million. According to the schedule, work will be completed in the first half of 2021.
Centrum Nowych Kompetencji, located within the premises of the Port of Gdansk, will begin its training activity in September this year.
The Port of Gdansk Authority cooperates with start-ups on a regular basis. This has made it possible to implement innovative pilot products, such as a dust emission measurement sensor system created by SeaData or the Smart Traffic Management System developed by Parkanizer. The PGA has concluded a number of agreements with Tri-City colleges and universities, enabling students of the Gdansk University of Technology for instance, to test their products at the Port of Gdansk.
