Talent Acquisition: We offer young people the present, so that they can become the future

Way2Global has always considered people its most important asset. In fact, it is people who define the quality of the service we provide to our customers, and our own corporate identity.

Our startup spirit and our culture of continuous innovation have always led us to surround ourselves with dynamic young people, digital natives dedicated to change and technology, working alongside professionals with a strong background of experience and expertise.

The generational inclusion that underlies our value system draws on the belief that diversity enriches, and that the synergy between the two opposite poles of the generational range, from zoomers to boomers and all ages in between, is a win-win for fair, healthy growth that leaves no one behind.

For this reason, combining new and senior talent is the underlying structural idea defining each business department: from the translation teams to the project managers, from the commercial department to marketing. We are constantly looking for fresh minds and “new seedlings” that, cultivated and guided by our experts, can bring novelty and creativity to our work.

We have profound confidence in the new generations, and it is precisely for this reason that for years we have been participating in PCTO projects (Paths for Cross-Skills and Orientation), once called ASL (School-Work Alternation), and we collaborate with a viewpoint of Open Innovation, Capacity Building and Technology Transfer, with universities and centers for excellence through R&D projects, teaching and internship opportunities, both digital and in person, at both the national and international level.

From the historic partnership with Altiero Spinelli University in Milan, for example, comes the research project TOP – Translator Opinion Poll, a survey dedicated to all stakeholders of the Language Industry (academe, trade associations, professionals and students) to track new trends in the sector and determine the profile of the modern professional translator.

The analysis of the radical revolution that our industry is undergoing, between digital, AI and virtualization, has presented outcomes that are in many ways surprising and have helped us capitalize on the completed work and to scale it in an upcoming edition that will be even more inclusive.

The pandemic has not stopped us even in projects for supporting young people and their entry into the workforce. On the contrary, it has reinforced our faith in this choice, which we consider an important part of our positive social impact on the community and region.

In an already competitive, often ruthless, market, the crisis that has affected the whole world has had a significant impact on young people. In our Benefit business vision, we believe that it is the responsibility of the employers and companies to help neutralize these cyclical disadvantages and ensure that new generations of students have equal access to the same opportunities as those who embarked on their careers prior to COVID-19.

Young people have the future in their hands, but how can they manage it if we do not give them the opportunity to act in the present?

This is why in recent months we have had the pleasure and honor of participating in two projects that have touched us deeply.

“Speed Orienta” is an initiative of the Chamber of Commerce of Milan Monza Brianza and Lodi, dedicated to 2020 high school graduates in the context PCTO and school-work alternation. The noble aim is to act as a link between young people and companies, giving the former the opportunity to introduce themselves, test themselves and interface with the latter.

The project involved students in the final year of three high schools in the area:

• “Cavalieri” Professional Institute of Milan — commercial, tourist and socio-health curriculum
• “Hensemberger” Technical Institute of Monza — electrotechnical and electronics curriculum
• “Volta” Technical Institute of Lodi — computer science, mechatronics and electrical engineering curriculum

Each student recorded a two-minute video to introduce him- or herself to the companies, who viewed the clips and got to know each candidate, to evaluate their presentation with an objective business opinion. This converged with assessment of the candidate in a State Examination, with a view to mentorship and/or a professional opportunity, and a possible follow-up interview.

We are anxiously looking forward to getting to know Manuela and Letizia, the two candidates we selected after a careful scrutiny, for their excellent soft skills, including determination, flexibility, organizational skills and civic-mindedness. These make them a perfect fit with our Benefit spirit, in addition to their specialized skills such as knowledge of languages.

The other project we enthusiastically joined relates to gender equality, that is, the first Italian acceleration program aimed at women’s entrepreneurship Miss in Action, organized by Digital Magics in collaboration with BNP Paribas and with the patronage of the Municipality of Milan.

It is a call for innovation that offers startups comprised of female entrepreneurs, or with a prevalence of female employees, a chance to be supported in their development and accelerate their growth from the early stage to the go-to-market stage.

Among the finalists, we got on board with the finalist startup StageAir, of the very young Anita Da Ros, nicknamed the AirBnB of foreign internships, for its innovative digital platform dedicated to management of international internships. Our support is confirmed by the willingness to test the pilot round of the service as a host company, and with a video interview on the topic of the internships.

By pooling our previous experience, we make the most of the opportunity to help young people in their career paths, but also to inspire more and more companies to open up and make themselves available.

The aim is to meet new talents who want to get deeper into the world of work and give them the security of a market ready and willing to welcome them, with their enthusiasm, their positive energy and their drive for innovation.

If we want a better future, we must give trust and opportunity to those who will be building the future and preserving it.