Bolstering Livelihoods for Ukrainian Refugees in Poland with Digital Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) Training

Mariia Markina

Chartering broker, Seazam Maritime Ltd

Warsaw, Poland, At the time of joining the programme, Mariia was working in the maritime shipping industry as an Operations Project Manager, coordinating complex logistics processes including searching for suitable shipping carriers, managing and ensuring safe and successful transports of cargoes. She signed up for the Cybersecurity track, as she realized the importance of data security in the shipping industry where a high amount of clients’ information is involved.    

Right after the training, Mariia was able to apply her knowledge and skills in cybersecurity directly in her work by implementing stricter cybersecurity protocols for managing data and communications. She initiated the use of two-factor authentication for a project management system, which enhanced secured access to information about cargo, shipping routes, and clients. Mariia also collaborated with the IT department to create regular backups of key data and monitor systems for potential threats. These measures helped prevent operational downtime and increased trust from clients and partners.  

Three months ago, Mariia started a new job as a chartering broker, working for a company specializing in ship chartering that organizes international maritime transportation in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. She continues to apply cybersecurity knowledge in her current role to protect data related to transactions, contracts, and commercial proposals. One example includes implementing secure communication channels for negotiations and document exchange with clients. This is especially critical in an environment where confidentiality and the speed of information transfer directly affect the outcomes of business deals. Additionally, Mariia worked with IT specialists to implement a Client Relationship Management (CRM) system that incorporates modern data protection methods, which helped streamline client management processes and minimized the risk of unauthorized access to commercial information.  

Mariia stressed how important it is to get support and commitment across different departments for cybersecurity measures to be implemented effectively.  For this, she initiated a cybersecurity training programme for her colleagues where she shared information and showed specific examples of how cybersecurity measures can help the company prevent data leaks and reduce the time needed to eliminate cyberattacks, which have recently become an issue with Ukrainian shipping companies.  

Having participated in a few different training programmes, Mariia was particularly impressed with the Bolstering Livelihoods training programme. For future improvement, she suggested the inclusion of a larger pool of companies at the employment forum, more internship opportunities for inexperienced participants and a more rigorous filtering process to make sure participants have equal levels of knowledge at the start of the programme.