You don’t have to go far to embark on a journey. Sometimes all it takes is ten days, genuine connections and a powerful idea: everyone can contribute to the energy transition with their own talents. This is how we build the future, starting with people, starting with the younger generations!

The MAIREmpower summer school, which formed the heart of phase II of this long-term project, has now come to an end. From 19 to 28 July, we too enjoyed an immersive experience alongside 18 brilliant and talented young people who put themselves to the test every day through lectures, workshops and activities.

The students spent the first week at the Elis Campus, experiencing life with peers they had never met before, with new rules and a packed programme of activities to follow every day, including weekends. Lessons took place between the Campus and the wonderful setting of Villa Fassini. On the second weekend, we moved to stay and continue our activities in the picturesque setting of ‘I casali del Pino’.

Every day, the programme of activities offered the young people a mix of experiences designed to help them develop both technical skills and personal qualities. They were able to get hands-on experience with PPE (Personal Protective Equipment), learning about workplace safety regulations, and listen to the stories of young female colleagues who had recently joined the MAIRE Group and hear about their career paths; explore the complexity of company regulations, from human rights to site rules, and even build a sustainable city of the future using Lego or visit a MAIRE construction site on the other side of the world via artificial intelligence. They also delved into CSR strategies and learnt how these are put into practice, discovered hydrogen as an energy carrier, and built a website. Between a visit to the Colosseum and an evening astronomy tour exploring space and the stars (“Il Cielo Itinerante”), the chance to be “heroes for a day” by discovering the secrets of an energy manager’s life; and role-playing games to break down (and understand) the complexity of circularity and the principles of cost-effectiveness, followed by a cooking workshop to learn that reducing waste can start in the kitchen and at the table – and that one must commit to every single activity, as their dinner that evening was exactly what they themselves had cooked in the workshop!

By living together with one another, with us, and with all the professionals who have supported us on this journey, the young people have had their first taste of life on the farm, as well as experiencing contact with animals and nature (they even became ‘master cheesemakers for a day’!) And, of course, there were opportunities to engage with the world of HR and learn more about how to write a CV, how to make a good impression at a job interview, and how to navigate a new environment: finding one’s bearings – in life, at work, and even in the woods of Monte Livata.

Because sustainability is a choice, both in daily life and when building a professional future that helps to respect the planet.

The summer school was designed as a bridge between education and the world of work, between education and the energy transition, and between technology and humanity. It was not merely an in-depth exploration of a specific subject, but a genuine workshop for developing vision.

All this was made possible thanks to the professionalism and expertise of everyone who supported us: starting with our colleagues at MAIRE, who generously dedicated their time, with passion, to sharing the secrets of their work; they devised quizzes, role-plays and surveys; searched for songs and videos, and brought materials that would serve the purpose, ensuring the lessons were not a one-way lecture but an activity that could engage the students and convey to them the broader value of the mission that unites us.

Thanks to our partners, first and foremost Elis, who supported us in implementing phases I and II of the project, hosted us, and carefully selected the most appropriate activities and workshops for these young students to complement the lesson programme we had prepared, fully embodying the spirit of our work and the project as a whole.

Thank you to all the professionals who supported the young people in the various activities: “Il Cielo itinerante”, “Lego Serious Play”, and the Elis teachers and tutors.

But our biggest thanks go to the wonderful 18 participants of the summer school: Desirè, Francesca, Giada, Giorgia, Maria Vittoria, Sofia, Veronica, Alessandro, Alessio, Andrea, Calvin, Filippo, Giordano, Michele, Marco Valerio, Mario, Tommaso e Valerio. Each of them gave their all every day, overcoming personal challenges along the way. The greatest achievement was seeing, during our daily conversations, each of them open up – both to us and to one another – forming a wonderful team, as if they had been friends for years. This not only facilitated the activities but also enabled them to gain a deeper understanding of the whole experience and what they could take away from it.

Through this summer school, we have sought to offer these young people something more than just ‘training’ – technical and soft skills – but also self-confidence and the conviction that each of them, through their own talents, can contribute to the cultural transformation that our times demand; because the future is built on inclusion, not exclusion, and requires clean energy, but also, and above all, human energy!

The MAIREmpower project will continue, in its Phase II, by supporting these young people throughout their fifth year of school, right up to the point where they choose their post-diploma pathway. In the meantime, in the second half of the 2025/2026 academic year, students participating in the summer school will be able to apply for the scholarships provided for in Phase III of the project, and the Foundation will conduct a selection process among the applications. Up to 10 scholarships will be awarded for three-year degrees in STEM subjects for the 2026/2027 academic year and the two following years.