For over 40 years, PPC has been rewarding the children of employees who excel in secondary and higher education. This year, the institution continued with two separate ceremonies in Athens and Ptolemaida, during which 443 outstanding students were honored.
PPC honors 443 employees’ children for academic excellence in secondary and higher education
In total, 126 high school graduates and 196 lyceum graduates, as well as 121 holders of university degrees (bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral) from across Greece were honored by PPC for their excellent performance, receiving personal commendation and gifts, including Kotsovolos gift certificates. Through the recognition of outstanding children of PPC employees, the event honors excellence, but primarily the values of perseverance, goal achievement and continuous progress.
The Athens ceremony
At this year’s event titled “Become the future you dream of,” top executives of the PPC Group shared their personal experiences about excellence with the outstanding students, as well as how they can pursue their professional dreams in a labor market that is constantly changing and influenced by technological developments. Special emphasis was placed on future professions and the new skills that are emerging as critical, as well as the alternative career paths that arise in a world where new roles constantly emerge and new opportunities open up for everyone.
The Group General Director of Human Resources & Organization, Alina Papageorgiou, addressing the outstanding students, stated: “What makes all the difference is personality. Live and fill yourselves with experiences, from trips, friendships, volunteering, because these shape you.”
Subsequently, the Deputy CEO and Board Member, Head of Digital & Innovative Services, Alexandros Paterakis, encouraged them: “Believe in your dream and pursue it. Don’t worry about what’s changing around you, evaluate it when it comes,” while the Group General Director of Legal Affairs & Corporate Governance and Legal Counsel, Argyris Oikonomou advised them: “Try to be ready for tomorrow. Changes due to technology, such as AI, are happening overwhelmingly faster compared to the past and whoever cannot adapt to them will be left behind”.
Closing the executives’ speeches, the Director of Personnel Development, Natassa Xydou, told the outstanding students “Whatever you do, do it with your heart and based on the footprint you want to leave.”
The Ptolemaida ceremony
In Ptolemaida the event began with a warm welcome from Alina Papageorgiou, Natassa Xydou and Antonis Karras, who emphasized its special symbolism for a region that is at the center of energy transition. Based on the PPC Group’s investment plan for creating a green and technological hub in the region, thousands of jobs are expected to be created during project construction and hundreds during their operation. Thus, the new generation of Western Macedonia is called upon to take the baton from the people who, for over 40 years, constituted the heart of Greece’s electrification. A call from the historic present, to the green, Powertech, future.
The Deputy CEO, Head of Conventional Generation, Alexios Paizis spoke meaningfully about children’s efforts and the importance of excellence, emphasizing that “a child’s excellence is the success of the entire family,” while continuing by referring to the importance of resilience and adaptation: “You will go through many changes and it’s important to be resilient. What doesn’t transform and change, simply declines. Change doesn’t ask us; it happens. The change happening today in Western Macedonia is something that you too will inevitably embrace and take forward.” In closing, he referred to PPC’s development plan for Western Macedonia, emphasizing that “the region is precious to us and we’re doing everything we can to continue being here, with healthy activity and that’s why we want you with us”.
The General Director of Generation Operations, Dimitrios Metikanis, shared his own emotion saying: “I’m from here, I finished gymnasium and lyceum in Ptolemaida so I feel very close to the children being honored today. I want to congratulate the parents for the work they do with their children and ask them to let them fly with their own wings”.
At both events, the Managing Director of Accenture, George Kritsiotakis, through his speech titled “Sneak Peek into the Future,” inspired the audience by talking about the new skills, such as adaptability, that professionals are called to develop in the new digital age, while characteristically mentioning that young people will have at least 20 jobs and 5 different careers in their lifetime. This year’s event also included “Game time,” during which the audience was divided into two teams and competed in interactive games.
“PPC Progress”: promoting education and excellence
The recognition of outstanding children of PPC employees evolved over time into the “PPC Progress” institution, through which secondary and higher education students who are children of its employees are rewarded for their exceptional academic performance.
“PPC Progress” is organized by the General Directorate of Human Resources & Organization and constitutes a timeless institution that, for 40 years, has highlighted PPC’s deeper faith in the power of knowledge, effort and evolution. Through the recognition of students, the event honors excellence, but primarily the values of perseverance, goal achievement and continuous progress.
Part of the broader plan of the PPC Group’s Sustainable Development Strategy, educational initiatives contribute to achieving goals related to the “Quality Education” pillar (SDG4), as defined by the United Nations.
