Nearly 10,000 secondary school students from 103 educational centers have had experiences with the professional world during this school year thanks to the Empresas que Inspiran initiative, promoted by the Bertelsmann Foundation in collaboration with strategic partners in Aragon, Catalonia and Madrid.
The web site empresasqueinspiran.es connects schools and organizations in the three communities to carry out professional orientation activities. This year, a record number of activities was carried out, with 352 activities carried out by 103 schools and 94 companies and public social entities. The activities are articulated through corporate volunteering and, on this occasion, around 600 professionals were involved.
The most popular activity among the organizations was the talk by professionals in educational centers (218) in which volunteers explain their work and career in orientation sessions or tutorials, usually. In some more advanced cases, the professionals explain some curricular content directly related to their work. On the other hand, there have also been visits to companies (89), fairs, hackathons, scape rooms and other activities (24) and educational stays in Madrid (21). Since the website was launched in 2023, more than 730 activities have already been managed in the three communities.
Volies & Empresas que inspiran
To enable the connection of centers and companies at regional and local level is essential collaboration with territorial business agents. For this reason, several years ago Volies joined this initiative as a driving organization, which together with others such as the Business Confederation of Madrid-CEOE (CEIM), the Spanish Association for Digitalization (DigitalES) in Madrid; Fundación Ibercaja in Aragon; the Chambers of Commerce of Terrassa, Barcelona and Girona (with the support of Chamber Spain and European funds) and municipalities such as Vilafranca del Penedès and Viladecans, among others, in Catalonia, have jointly achieved these incredible impact data.
Throughout the school year from Volies we offer different ways in which our companies can get involved in this project, such as:
- GIVING TALKS: in educational centers, where professionals give first-hand accounts of their academic and professional careers. As was the case of Amadeus, a leading company in the development and distribution of technological solutions for the travel sector. The students of the 2nd year of baccalaureate of social sciences of the IES Joaquín Araujo of Madrid were able to learn first-hand about the professional and academic career of a professional of the company’s finances. And also the Iberozoa Association, which shared with the young people professional opportunities linked to sustainability and social impact.
- VISITS TO COMPANIES/ORGANIZATIONS: where students have the opportunity to visit work spaces and interact with professionals. As did Quadpack, manufacturer and global provider of cosmetics packaging solutions, B Corp, which opened its doors to the 4th year ESO students of Institut Pere Lliscart. The students were given a tour of the offices, learning about the diversity of roles and functions, including a Speed Dating with professionals from different departments.
- EDUCATIONAL STAYS: where students can experience day-to-day life in a real working environment. Siemens, for example, opened its doors for three days to 42 students from 14 schools in the Autonomous Community of Madrid, who were able to share the day-to-day life of the professionals at the Tres Cantos offices. A total of 31 volunteers acted as hosts and taught the students the ins and outs of the company, encouraging them to choose engineering as a profession.
- OTHER ACTIVITIES: Own orientation projects promoted by companies or social entities aimed at high school students. There is room, for example, for training projects in STEM areas, vocation promotion, development of skills or focused on dismantling stereotypes about professions, sectors or training.
“Your profession in...90 seconds!”: when paths cross to inspire
One of the most powerful activities of this year was the one carried out in collaboration with the Voluntare network: “Your profession in…90 seconds!
A unique experience of educational volunteering that we organized together with IES Barrio Loranca in Fuenlabrada, a center committed to offering its students real opportunities to interact with the professional world.
A group of 100 students in the 4th year of ESO had the opportunity to listen, in an agile and direct format, to 35 professionals from 13 different entities – including companies, foundations and organizations – who shared their personal and professional careers in just a minute and a half with the aim of helping them in their academic-professional decision-making.
A time that, although short in appearance, was enough to arouse curiosity, reflection and motivation.
The impact of Volies in the 2024/2025 school year
Thanks to the dynamization of Volies in the 2024/2025 academic year:
- 27 companies have actively participated.
- 56 Educational centers received the
- 85 actions, of which:
- 63 Talks
- 11 Visits to companies and organizations
- 6 educational stays
- 5 other types of activities
- 13 professional sectors represented in these activities.
Actions that have had an impact on:
4,162 students directly, which represents a 70% increase in the number of young people benefited compared to the previous year!
Thanks to the collaboration of 67 volunteers. Thank you all for making this possible!
