20 students from the license and master’s cycles in Romania started on July 7 the Summer’s Cool internship program at Nestlé, the largest food and drinks company in the world.
Tiberius Pintilie, Sales Training & Development Manager, has some interesting information about one of the most long-term professional development projects that brings together over 100 young people out of the company’s five business hubs: “Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine.
- Summers Cool has reached the 8th edition, which means a transition from genus to the participants. What would be the differences between generations?
Any change of generation is important, and if it is something I have learned over the years, it is that in this industry, any detail makes the difference. The teams we work with are increasingly mixed in terms of generations and so we must be aware of each of them. Each generation brings new energy. The gender not only comes with questions, but also with solutions that I have not yet imagined. We are lucky to learn from each other.
- How are young people, from the point of view of professional training, respectively learning capacity?
Today’s young people are extremely adaptable, with a rapid learning capacity and more diversified professional training. It combines formal education with digital self-formation, they are curious, critical and learn through technology. They have patience for what has meaning and impact, and their dynamism redefines how we learn and work together.
- What are the things/information/principles that young people resonate best, respectively?
I am not a specialist, but from the interactions with young people, it seems that it would be a lot to focus on authenticity, clarity and creating interactive experiences, relevant to them. They like to understand “why” do something and feel that they play an active role in the process. At the same time, it is worth avoiding the rigid approach, with rules imposed without clear meaning, excessive formal language or outdated working methods. Young people feel immediately when something is not authentic or does not have real applicability.
- What would be the most important advice for young people looking for a first job?
I avoid giving advice to others, but at 20, I would give myself one like: Be curious! Ask without fear, explore without shame, try without fear of failure. It is the age at which you are allowed – and it is even recommended – to test, to make mistakes and to learn. Curiosity will take you to places where rigid plans cannot reach.
The internship paid Summer’s Cool is part of the Nestlé Needs Youth initiative, launched by Nestlé in 2013, which aims to support young people in their academic transition to a successful career. Thus, Nestlé offers internship programs and jobs for students or graduates, giving them the opportunity to develop their skills and gain experience in a real work environment.
Until July 31, young people will work for 6 hours a day, 4 days a week, in an interactive format, supported by over 60 professionals in the company: trainers, mentors and jury members. The program includes sessions dedicated to key business areas-marketing, supply chain, sales, financial, human resources, sustainability and leadership-as well as a field visit, along with sales teams.
