Collaboration with universities and schools

We are constantly pursuing potential collaborations with the university world, because these are the institutions through which the innovative development of our business and the local community passes. In recent years, we have strengthened our relationships with some of the major universities, such as Tor Vergata, Roma Tre, La Sapienza, Lumsa, University of Tuscia, Politecnico of Milan, Sant’Anna of Pisa and University of Napoli Federico II.

Acea Group’s partnership with the free computer programming school 42 Rome LUISS is an example of our commitment to training activities, dedicated to people willing to develop their digital skills and give their contribution to the technological transformation of our country.

In 2020 we renewed agreements for curricular and extra-curricular internships with the Roma Tre, Tor Vergata and La Sapienza Universities and defined specific agreements for some master programmes at the Campus Bio-Medico University in Rome and at Rome’s Tor Vergata University. We also initiated new contacts and relationships with the placements departments of the Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, the Polytechnic University of Turin, the University of Bari Aldo Moro, the University of Camerino, the Parthenope University of Naples, the University of Pisa and the Universities of Palermo, Catania and Messina.

Finally, during the year, a scientific cooperation agreement was signed with the Department of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences of the University of Naples Federico II and with the Vesuvius Observatory for the design and implementation of a hydrogeological and microbiological monitoring network for groundwater.

Thanks to these collaborations we activated 76 traineeships e 27 curricular internships and recruited 15 young university graduates, while 21 young resources - previously included in traineeship and internship programmes - were offered a long-term job stability.

Again, with regard to training, we put professional skills of our people at disposal during university courses and masters or technical projects. In 2021 our qualified personnel took part in university masters - as lecturers or company testimonials – dealing in particular with energy, environment, sustainability and innovation issues.

In continuity with the IdeAzione, La Scuola che vorrei and GenerAzione Digitale programmes, we created GenerAzione Connessa, the new format of the Acea Group for training and orienting young people towards the world of work.
The programme aims to convey to young people the importance of sustainability, diversity and inclusion and innovation for environmental protection.
The course involves about 300 students from 10 Technical-Professional Institutes and 5 high schools in Lazio, Umbria, Campania and Tuscany. Participants, divided into teams, will present innovative and sustainable ideas on real projects identified by the Group.

The Elis Consortium, partner of the initiative, supports Acea in the relationship with schools and students in the design thinking stages necessary for the development of innovative and creative solutions. The Acea Sustainability Ambassadors play a fundamental role in the project. They promote the culture of sustainability, attention to the environmental impact and the circular economy, both inside and outside the Group. In addition, young people meet Acea professionals in the STEM field who, through their story of training and professional career, try to encourage the younger generation to fulfil their dreams and develop their talents, exhorting in particular in female students to choose educational paths that can facilitate their entry into scientific and technological professions.

Acea’s commitment to schools continues even during the health emergency. We submitted a digital project to show our support and closeness to students involved in the IdeAzione program. The objective is to strengthen the message LaScuolaNonsiFerma (School does not Stop) and give students the chance to propose a learning model based on their experience during the last few months.

This initiative, in collaboration with the ELIS Consortium, consists in two stages: the first comprises webinar sessions to prepare for the “La scuola che vorrei” (The school I would like) project work; the second is focused on the students’ elaboration of the project proposal. The programme is also enriched through learning pills and inspirational talk events. In the 2020 edition, the students were invited to redesign the School of the Future, proposing a new teaching model based on their actual experience as a result of Covid-19.

Alternating between school and the workplace gives us an opportunity to create a bond with schools in the community and to help young children develop and possibly become Acea's resources of tomorrow.

Together with the ELIS Consortium, we launched the project IdeAzione to start up this virtual circle of exchange between school and company. Students from Technical and Vocational Schools have the opportunity to learn useful methods for the world of work; whereas it is a chance for Acea to address the new generations and encourage its values of sustainability.  The professional staff and experts at Acea - named "Trade Masters" - together with the teachers, are there to guide the students to develop innovative projects, with which to challenge themselves in a competition of ideas. The winners take part in a week at the Elis Summer School where they build the prototypes for their ideas. The winning schools are awarded a contribution by Acea's Ethics and Sustainability Committee.

Are you a university student and interested in becoming part of Acea Group?