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Building Stronger Minds (BSM) Innovation Camp Wraps up with winners announcement

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, Junior Achievement Europe and Junior Achievement Asia-Pacific were partnered up for the organisation of the first Online Innovation Camp on a topic related to the maritime industry. BSM is committed to making a positive impact on local and global communities  by supporting JA in Europe and Asia-Pacific regions through the provision of a unique learning opportunity to young students.

The challenge of the Building Stronger Minds Innovation Camp 2021 took place between 23rd and 30th September 2021 and it was related to the global Covid-19 pandemic and the impact of the health crisis on the mental health of the workers at sea and ashore.

This initiative targeted secondary school students and was designed to bring more innovative solutions to the contemporary challenge of the industry by encouraging students to explore new educational and professional paths. The challenge provided students with an opportunity to work closely with a BSM mentor who guided and assisted them in idea generation and final product/service creation.

Yesterday, 10 student teams from different countries in Europe and the Asia Pacific presented their final ideas online in front of a distinctive panel of juries composed of Elena Pantazidou (Group HR Shore Director), Umesh Lulla (Group General Manager HR Marine) and Niklas Koerner (Strategy Manager – Product Development/Strategy) from BSM.

The winning team from the Philippines called SMART presented a unique solution comprised of, a set of smartwatches, multi-purpose box and satellite-powered internet which could help seafarers stay connected with their beloved ones.

“I am really impressed by all the teams; it was really difficult for us to find the top three ideas. What I want to say is that hopefully, we are going to see some of you in an internship or why not, future employment with BSM because we want people with your energy, passion and creativity” - Elena Pantazidou, Group HR Shore Director

“When I was your age, when I wanted to be by myself, I was just walking on the beach, especially in wintertime when you could see the waves, the way they were moving and I was always imagining that there were other people all around the world going through the same things I was going through: so I always felt that anyway the sea was connecting me to the others: and this would have pushed me to do more on what I was doing, to continue to be ambitious, ambitious as all of you. As young people have shown to us how in such a short time, you’ve got a challenge, transformed and made it a reality” - Salvatore Nigro, CEO of JA Europe

About BSM:   

Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement (BSM) is an integrated maritime solutions provider. As a member of the Schulte Group, BSM benefits from its 135+ years of experience in the shipping industry. By managing a fleet of approximately 600 vessels, 19,000 seafarers and 1,500 shore-based employees, we enable the delivery of safe, reliable, and efficient ship management services.

About JA Europe:

JA Europe is the largest non-profit in Europe dedicated to preparing young people for employment and entrepreneurship. JA Europe is a member of JA Worldwide® which for 100 years has delivered hands on, experiential learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy. JA creates pathways for employability, job creation and financial success. Last school year, the JA network in Europe reached almost 4 million young people across 40 countries with the support of nearly 100,000 business volunteers and over 140,000 teachers/educators.

About JA Asia Pacific:

JA Asia Pacific is a member of JA Worldwide, one of the world’s largest youth-serving NGOs dedicated to preparing young people for employment and entrepreneurship. Home to 60% of the world’s youth, JA Asia Pacific aims to empower young people to benefit from the region’s economic development and to create a positive impact in their lives and communities. The 17-Member JA Asia Pacific network is powered by close to 50,000 volunteers, mentors, and teachers from all sectors of society, reaching nearly 1.3 million students last year.