The University of Patras is leaving behind the taboo of the past, taking great steps to bring students closer to the domestic industry. Yesterday, at the Conference and Cultural Center, over 200 students of the Department of Chemical Engineering came into contact with 25 large companies, as part of the search for tomorrow’s talents in the country’s industrial sector. The Career Day was organized by the Department of Chemical Engineering which, through such initiatives, creates conditions for retaining the scientific potential in the country.
The list of companies that participated in the Career Day is representative of the size of the companies that responded to the call, to get in direct contact with tomorrow’s chemical engineers: Athens Brewery, VANOS SA, Giotis SA, Coca Cola 3E, Coffee Island, International Athens Airport, Ecotec EPE, El Pack SA, Hellenic Cables, ETEM GESTAMP, ITE IEXMI, Isomat, KNAUF, Linde Hellas SP Ltd, MESOGIOS SA, Motor Oil Group, Kepenou Mills, Mytileneos SA, Nestle, Papastratos AVES, Plastics K Kotronis ABEE , Plastics of Crete SA, PwC, RAVAGO, Rolco.
WITHOUT TABOO
“This is also the most serious effort, from the point of view that it became much more organized and this is shown by the presence of 25 large companies, where mainly chemical engineers are employed and they have come with the human resources departments to interview and give specific number of jobs and this is the most important for us”, said the chairman of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Professor Alexandros Katsaounis, to “Peloponnisos”.
The head of the department emphasized that in the last few years there has been an osmosis at the University of Patras and it seems that there is also a willingness from the private initiative to come closer to the University.
In the past, such efforts could be described as taboo. “We as a department have overcome these taboos for years” added Mr. Katsanounis. “We have been fighting a lot to get closer to the industry, not in the sense of producing graduates the way the industry wants them. Our logic is to give supplies to our graduates, so that they can work in any industry in Greece. This is our motto.”
The former president of the Department of Chemical Engineering of the University of Patras, Professor Dimitrios Vagenas, told “P” that in recent years the department has shown a great deal of extroversion, which also finds a response from the industry. The aim of this initiative was to bring students and industry to the same table so that they can do their internship or diploma work and after graduation, find jobs. And it is important that yesterday, all the industries had come to the Career Day with open jobs, said Mr. Vagenas.
Dimitrios Vagenas and Alexandros Katsaounis
A very important effort, say the students
The 4th year student of the Department of Chemical Engineering, Marianina Ioannou, told the “Peloponnisos” newspaper that it was the first time she participated in such an initiative, which, she said, gives young people the opportunity to talk directly with companies that, under different circumstances, they would have to pursue.
Yiannis Kourtopoulos, also a 4-year student in the same department, emphasized that the Career Day was a very good initiative, on the one hand, because he had the opportunity to speak directly with the companies that interested him, without going through the process of “knocking on doors” in order to does some diplomatic exercise or work.
Marianina Ioannou and Yiannis Kourtopoulos
Both students emphasized that this osmosis between students and businesses within the University space seemed unreal, however things have moved forward, without ignoring the fact that the effort made by their department is too important to connect students with industry not only through the Career Day but also through other actions.
The University must have direct contact with the labor market
Nikos Buranopouloss, is an executive of the Greek division of the multinational chemical industry Linde Hellas SP Ltd. The company produces industrial and medical gases and he is in charge of the market development department. As he told “Peloponnisos” he himself is a graduate of the Chemical Engineering Department of Patras, and he could not have imagined that he would one day return to University where he attended, in search of talent for the industry in which he works today.
The executive of the Greek division of the multinational chemical industry Linde Hellas SP Ltd.
“I was also a student in this department, when this extroversion did not exist and I am happy to see that this is changing, because the university must have direct contact with the labor market in order for both to understand the demand and the offer and what is the gap to be filled. In my years, these initiatives did not exist and that is why we had a little…”midnight” about how what we were studying translates into the labor market. We found it working. That’s why I think it’s better for every student before entering the job market to roughly understand how what is taught at the University is connected to what they will encounter outside” said Mr. Buranopoulos.
TIPS
The Motor Oil group was also present at the Career Day with the executives of the human resources department Eleni Nikolakopoulou and Yannis Skrekis engaged in recruiting staff.
The two executives of the group emphasized to “P” that the presence of industries in these extroverted events of the University is very important, as they connect the academic community with the industry, preparing students for their first professional step and reducing the gap that unfortunately exists between the two spaces.
The executives of the human resources department of the Motor Oil Group.
“We are happy to come to the University of Patras. Our aim is to connect universities with the labor market, to get close to those preparing for graduation and to give opportunities to young people. Obviously we are looking for talent, but our main goal is an initial communication to explain to young people what career opportunities they have within our group and how they can pursue their dreams”.
FROM PRACTICE TO WORK
Also present at the Career Day was the plastic packaging production company Kotronis from Etoloakarnania.
OR Nadia Anagnostopoulou he emphasized that the presence of the company in this initiative was in the context of the cooperation that exists with the Department of Chemical Engineering.
“We came today to get to know the candidates, certainly for some pieces of practice that we support, but also in general in the context of a future collaboration.”
#Patras #Bridge #labor #market #University
The text describes a significant career initiative at the University of Patras, where students had the opportunity to engage directly with representatives from various large companies. This “Career Day” was highlighted as an important event for students to connect with potential employers, allowing them to bypass traditional job-seeking hurdles.
### Key Points:
– **Student Experiences**:
– Marianina Ioannou, a 4th-year Chemical Engineering student, remarked on the novelty and importance of such interactions, as it presents an opportunity for students to meet companies directly.
– Yiannis Kourtopoulos echoed these sentiments, appreciating the direct access to companies that eliminated the need for more traditional networking approaches.
– **Industry Perspectives**:
– Nikos Buranopoulos from Linde Hellas described the value of these initiatives, noting that they foster necessary connections between academic institutions and the labor market, which were absent during his time as a student. He emphasized the importance of understanding the relationship between university education and industry expectations.
– **Corporate Participation**:
– Executives from the Motor Oil group, Eleni Nikolakopoulou and Yannis Skrekis, also participated, emphasizing the significance of university-industry interactions for easing students into their professional lives and bridging the existing gap between academia and the practical work environment.
### Conclusion:
This event illustrates a proactive approach in academia to equip students with the tools and connections necessary for successful entry into the workforce, signifying a shift towards a more integrated relationship between universities and industries.
