25 Ferrovial volunteers are taking part in the Fostering Talent initiative, run by the
Princess of Girona Foundation, designed to improve the employment prospects of young people between 18 and 30 years of age who hold higher qualifications. Yesterday the volunteers met the Foundation for the first time at Ferrovial's headquarters to discuss the details of the project.
The initiative gets young people in touch with volunteers, who then act as mentors over the next nine months to help establish their career plans.
According to Maria Dionis, Managing Director of HR at Ferrovial, "such initiatives are part of the company's corporate responsibility strategy and are founded on Ferrovial's commitment to the community and to improving career prospects, professional development and equal opportunities for young people with regards to joining the labour market".
Ferrovial Services Fostering Talent programme uses unique approach
What's unique about this innovative approach is that the mentor and young person share the same academic and professional backgrounds, ensuring that the former can use their circle of contacts to help secure job opportunities that are coherent with the young job-seeker's technical and personal skills. 48% of the young people who have taken part in the project have since improved their professional situation, while 16% of mentors have opted to repeat the experience.
The Princess of Girona Foundation has warmly welcomed the 25 new mentors to the programme, emphasizing just how important the support provided by such figures can be to young people under the Fostering Talent initiative. "Preparing to join the labour market means capitalising on your training and talent, but too many young people lack the skills or know-how to do so. Mentors help them to discover their potential, develop the right attitudes and prepare for job interviews. They also bring their network of contacts, which can be so key to securing job opportunities and is something that most young people do not have access to", says Monica Margarit, Managing Director of the Princess of Girona Foundation.
