Industry of Tomorrow: new phase brings students closer to industry opportunities

The program was designed to show students a little about the reality of the industry and, mainly, the opportunities that the sector offers Credit: Igor Mello. Bringing young people closer to the industrial world before they even enter the job market. It is with this proposal that Simespi begins a new phase of the Industry of Tomorrow project – Connecting Young People to the Job Market, now in partnership with the Regional Education Unit of Piracicaba and the Metalworkers Union of Piracicaba and Region. The launch took place on August 13th, at Simespi headquarters, with the participation of 116 students from the 3rd year of high school from state schools Vilma Ferrari, Abigail de Azevedo Grillo and Monsenhor Jeronymo Gallo. The program was designed to show students a little about the reality of the industry and, mainly, the opportunities that the sector offers. The young people participated in a conversation with Simespi's deputy director of technology and industrial relations, Guilherme Morais. He spoke about the importance of the industry for the region, the professions of the future and what companies look for in those entering the job market. The agenda also included the lecture “Taking Care of Financial Health”, given by professor Ricardo de Souza. More than a one-off activity, the meeting marks an evolution of Industry of Tomorrow, created in 2023. The project was created to bring young people closer to the industrial sector, encourage professional qualifications and show that industry can be a concrete career option. The proposal also includes contact with professionals and businesspeople, as well as visits to companies associated with Simespi. In this new phase, the partnership with the Regional Education Unit expands the project's reach to schools and allows conversations with students at an important moment: when many begin to decide what to do after high school. For the president of Simespi, Paulo Estevam Camargo, this approach helps to address an issue that has long worried companies: the difficulty of finding qualified professionals. "The industry is constantly changing, with new technologies, processes and professions, but we still face a very concrete challenge, which is finding qualified people. We need to get closer to young people, show them the opportunities that exist and the training paths that can lead them to them", says Camargo. The issue of labor is at the very origin of the project. Industry of Tomorrow seeks to stimulate interest in technical and professional training and put students in contact with the day-to-day life of the sector. Monitored visits to associated companies are part of this proposal and allow you to learn about production processes, technologies and different possibilities for action. The regional education director, professor Carlos Eduardo Alves Guimarães Fontana, speaks of the partnership with enthusiasm: "We dreamed of Indústria do Ajante as a great action to impact the life project of the students involved. It will be a fantastic way to bring them closer to Industry and they will experience in practice a lot of the knowledge acquired in the classroom." For Simespi, one of the ways to attract new professionals is to make the industry better known among young people themselves Credit: Igor Mello. A bridge between young people and industry For Simespi, one of the ways to attract new professionals is to make the industry better known among young people themselves. After all, those leaving school do not always know the variety of functions, areas and opportunities that exist within an industrial company. "Often, young people are looking for a professional path, but are not yet aware of the diversity of opportunities within the industry. We want to show that there is room for different profiles and backgrounds and that qualification opens doors. We are building a bridge between those looking for an opportunity and a sector that needs new talent", highlights Camargo. The participation of schools is essential in this process. The idea is to start this approach before a vacancy opens, arousing students' interest and showing what knowledge and qualifications can help them enter the market. Among the results expected by the project are the training of new talents for the local industry and an increasingly closer relationship between education and the productive sector. "The challenge of skilled labor requires construction work. The sooner we awaken the interest of young people and show that the industry can offer a path of professional development, the greater the opportunities will be for them and for our companies", adds the president. With Industry of Tomorrow, Simespi reinforces its activities that do not just look at the vacancies that companies need to fill today. The initiative focuses on approaching young people to help prepare the professionals that the industry will need in the coming years — and, at the same time, present to a new generation the career opportunities that already exist in the sector.