Participants of the “Direction Słupsk” conference addressed the important issue of career opportunities in a medium-sized city. Presentations, debates, a press conference by an international investor from the financial industry and the signing of an agreement linking representatives of the business world with an educational institution made the whole event a promising start to the year 2023 for Slupsk entrepreneurship. The conference took place on 8 February this year at the Słupski Technology Incubator.
The event started with a press conference by a large company, part of the Santander banking group, during which Radosław Krasowski – HR Director and Krystian Liberacki – Operations Manager from Santander Digital Services presented their plans for business development in the local market. The employer is already hiring its first employees in Slupsk and promises a dynamic growth in demand for talent in the near future. The presence of such a recognisable brand is extremely valuable and may contribute to an increased interest in the city among potential new investors. It is worth mentioning that Santander does not forget about the needs of people with disabilities in its employment policy, providing them with all the tools to work comfortably:
– In the age of remote working, when advanced technological solutions are available, limitations in mobility should not influence the decision to hire an employee. At Santander Digital Services professional competence are crucial. Employees from the Słupsk region will not only have a real opportunity to develop their careers without having to migrate from their hometowns, but will also have the chance to shape the local community – Radosław Krasowski pointed out.
Cooperation between business and science
During the conference, a framework cooperation agreement was also signed between the Pomeranian University in Słupsk and the international company GlobalLogic. The relationship between the Koszalin branch of GlobalLogic and the Institute of Science and Technology has been building for over a year and was so far focused on: investor’s care for the course of study – Computer Science, close cooperation in the creation of a new course of study – Industrial Computer Science and work on the development of the laboratory base at the Univeristy. GlobalLogic has also organised presentations for students and hosted study visits at its Koszalin headquarters. The signed agreement is expected to intensify the existing cooperation, including the implementation of research projects, hosting of student internships, seminars, optional classes or the development of educational programmes. The agreement was signed by Andrzej Urbanek, Ph.D. – Vice-rector for Education at the Pomeranian University in Słupsk, and Piotr Bartkiewicz – Director of the Koszalin Branch of GlobalLogic.
The potential for global business development in a smaller city
The conference, organised by the Pomeranian Regional Development Agency and Invest in Pomerania – a local government initiative coordinated by the Pomerania Development Agency, was attended by local entrepreneurs, representatives of local authorities, the city’s educational units and international companies. The meeting included three panel discussions – ‘HR in post-pandemic times’, ‘Business in the modern urban locations from a real estate perspective’ and ‘International business in a slightly smaller city’. The Deputy Marshall of the Pomeranian Voivodeship – Leszek Bonna – spoke at the beginning and welcomed the guests, and the participants in the discussion included: Dominika Horbacz from Randstad Polska, Radosław Krasowski and Krystian Liberacki from Santander Digital Services, Ewa Krzaczkowska from Słupsk Technology Incubator, Marcin Faleńczyk from JLL, Rafał Kierecki from DZP Invest, Marta Makuch – Deputy Mayor of Słupsk, Jacek Kuliński from KPMG and Marcin Grzegory from Invest in Pomerania. The conference was hosted by Wiktor Doktór – CEO of Pro Progressio – a club bringing together organisations from the modern business services sector.
– The event “Direction Słupsk” is the next step in building the city’s brand for the widely understood BSS sector and presenting this area of business to the residents of the city and its surroundings as an interesting option for developing one’s professional career. We discussed the reasons why the city of Slupsk’s offer for the development of this sector is so attractive right now. The change in the working model and the necessity to adapt employment conditions to the changing expectations of employees are just two of the many aspects that favour highly digitised companies. The conference was also an excellent opportunity to discuss the progress to date of the city’s activities related to the development of the BSS in the region – said Marcin Grzegory, Deputy Director, Invest in Pomerania.
BSS sector in the spotlight
The choice of the conference venue was not accidental. Słupsk Technology Incubator is an office space finished to a modern standard, created to meet the needs of demanding investors, including those from the broadly defined modern business services sector. The presence of such space in Słupsk is a proof that the city is prepared to welcome companies, especially from the Business Services Sector (BSS). This includes shared services centres performing “in-house” processes (Shared Services Centres and Global Business Centres), outsourcing centres (Business Processing Outsourcing) providing services to external customers, IT centres and centres engaged in research and development activities (including software development). The presence of investors with such a profile would provide more employment opportunities for local residents and could contribute to reducing unemployment levels.
Accessible Słupsk
Until recently, the biggest obstacle to the operation of global business in Słupsk was communication restrictions. Travel time to the airport or transshipment ports discouraged investors looking for new locations. The construction of the Kashubian Route and the commissioning of the Gdynia-Bożepole section, which shortened the travel time to the Tricity agglomeration to 1.5 hours, are significant changes that may affect the decision of companies to open their branches here.
– Słupsk is a place which strength is the wisdom and determination of its residents. The appearance of investors from the BSS sector in our city will be an opportunity to fully exploit the enormous potential. Thanks to new opportunities, we will develop faster in the areas we are particularly keen on. I believe that the efforts of the local government of Słupsk, our partners from Invest In Pomerania and all the open-minded people will bring benefits, thanks to which Słupsk’s dreams, perhaps still distant today, will become something natural, everyday, ordinary tomorrow. And I am sure that we will achieve this together – noted Marta Makuch, Deputy Mayor of the City of Słupsk.
An opportunity for the whole region
A key motivation for the economic promotion of Słupsk are the new perspectives for the inhabitants. The opening of the city to the BSS sector creates an opportunity for professional development in an international environment. The region offers new investors a wealth of well-educated talent – including graduates from local and Tricity universities. Activities supporting and promoting business are primarily aimed at raising the city’s profile and highlighting its advantages to investors.
– The even development of the entire voivodeship is extremely important to us. Thanks to recent investments in infrastructure, we are able to show future investors that Pomerania is not only Gdansk or Gdynia, but also smaller centres that offer increasingly better conditions for business development. The conference in Słupsk confirms these possibilities – said Mieczysław Struk, Marshall of Pomorskie Voivodeship.
