Esade and Junior Achievement Foundation join forces to boost training and employability of young people
Esade and the Junior Achievement Foundation have joined forces in the ‘mini companies’ training program for secondary school, sixth-form and vocational program students. In today’s complex landscape overshadowed by youth unemployment (in Spain, the school drop-out rate is higher than the EU average and 17.3% of its young people aged 15 to 29 are in neither education nor employment), this program seeks to encourage students to develop their creativity and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Koldo Echebarria, Esade director general, was clear that this alliance “bolsters our commitment to talent, diversity and a well-rounded education. There can be no doubt that investing and believing in talent is crucial for building a better society.” In this respect, Esade recently announced that this year they will spend a record-breaking €4 million on their scholarship program. “We believe that education must reward talent, and open its doors and offer opportunities to students who show passion, excellence and perseverance” said Koldo Echebarria.
“We would like to foster an entrepreneurial mindset amongst young people and help them acquire the skills and abilities necessary to plan their future and achieve their goals” he said. Lucía de Zavala, director general of the Junior Achievement Foundation Spain, added that “This educational program will improve young people’s critical thinking, their ability to settle disputes, and also their resourcefulness and leadership.”
Commitment to talent and diversity
Esade will take part in this educational program throughout the academic year, offering these young people the tools they need to create and manage their own company. The program will be taught at several educational establishments in the regions of Catalonia and Madrid with more than 30 Esade alumni acting as voluntary mentors, helping students pinpoint needs, create ideas and develop a business plan for the early phase of their project. They will also advise students on how to present their project to make it more attractive and summarize their value proposal. This work will be accompanied by conferences that bridge the gap between the business world and educational establishments. The intention is to give students professional benchmarks and enable them to adopt values such as ethics, teamwork, honesty and everyday effort.
The Esade Alumni association also works with the Junior Achievement Foundation on volunteering ventures which currently involve 31 volunteers. Over the last 16 years, Esade alumni have been providing pro bono consulting services for third-sector entities, contributing their management experience and ability to work in teams.
