From the classroom to the workplace: De Nora’s example

Entering the world of work marks a significant moment of change. After years of theoretical study, students officially start putting their skills into practice, but they also find themselves in a completely new context. 

In this phase, companies like De Nora can be an invaluable support and guide young talents in discovering their dispositions and helping them navigate this new world.  

1. Filling the school-work gap: why it is important

One of the big steps every student takes is deciding what turn to give to their future after school, a hard challenge that we all face at different stages of our growth. In Italy, the first decision to take is right after middle school, when it comes to choosing what kind of high school to enroll to. After that, another choice to make: university, technical training or straight to work. The most significant moment is the end of university, which officially marks the passage from educational journey to work reality.   

Figuring out what professional opportunities are worth considering and what skills have to be developed is not always easy, as students often have very good theoretical knowledge but a limited overview of the world of work. In this context, direct contact with companies plays a crucial role because it enables students to understand what the job market requires, to develop practical skills and to build professional relationships useful for their future.  At the same time, companies that invest in young people secure a pipeline made of skilled and motivated talents, in line with their business culture. 

2. De Nora: consistently a student friendly company  

De Nora strongly believes in young people and this is why interaction with technical institutes and universities is a cornerstone of its strategy. 

The relationship between De Nora and schools dates back a long time: in 1973 the founder, Oronzio De Nora, was awarded with the “Ambrogino d’Oro” by Milan municipality for his commitment in sustaining students, showing attention to young people and adopting an approach to talents that today we call “student friendly”, years before employer branding became a real strategy.  

This vision is still today at the base of several initiatives, such as yearly scholarships the Oronzio e Niccolò De Nora Foundation offers to support young talented students, and the different De Nora’s activities in universities and schools.  

3. De Nora’s effort: from schools to universities 

Everyone's career path is the result of choices taken in different stages of life: from middle school to picking the right university major. 

Every decision contributes to defining future opportunities and finding a personal way into the world of work.  

This is why De Nora gets in touch with students from the beginning of their educational path, offering courses aimed at helping them discover their talent early, and providing them with the tools to face personal and professional challenges ahead of them with greater awareness.  

De Nora organizes for the students of middle and high school tours of the company, orientation meetings and work-based learning experiences. These initiatives also include aptitude tests, such as the TTI test based on the DISC model, to help students have a better understanding of their inclinations. Dedicated meetings with De Nora’s people, from different departments, give students a wider look on the business world.  At the end of the course students receive a certificate and a voucher for a bookshop, this is a simple gesture De Nora makes to encourage the cultural growth of the future talents of the communities it works in.   

With universities, the company has a more vertical and targeted approach, as students are in a more advanced and more specialized phase of their educational path. 

Since 2009, De Nora has attended Career Days at universities like Politecnico di Milano, University of Milan, Bocconi University, University of Naples Federico II and University of Pavia, offering tips on how to face a job interview or how to write a good resume. In addition, the company arranges events to share ideas on specialized topics and to bring together students and professionals with similar experiences. 

Moreover, the company is also present at Diversity Days, events dedicated to inclusivity in the work context, to encourage the inclusion of students with different backgrounds. A symposium is held every year, where researchers from different universities and De Nora’s colleagues present their research. Here, every professor has the opportunity to bring students who get to show their projects to experts during the “poster session”. This enables them to get in touch with professionals and companies and to grow personally and professionally. In 2023, for the company’s hundredth anniversary, the event took place at Castello Sforzesco in Milan, while in 2024 in Japan on the occasion of the Expo. 

4. Internship at De Nora: between work and education

Helping students enter the world of work also means providing them with a first access to it. 

At De Nora, this happens in different ways, among which work-based learning experiences, meetings with schools and universities, dedicated events and educational internships. Traineeships give the students, both from bachelors and master’s degree, a compensation that is well above the Italian average and it also includes extra financial support for trainees that have to move to Milan.  

Specifically, the internship is very important for the students because it represents their first real contact with the world of work and also an opportunity to put talent into practice, learning from the know-how of experienced professionals.

For the company is a great opportunity as well, as integrating new young dynamic resources can offer a fresh and innovative look and help the growth. This is why very often students are hired by the company at the end of their traineeship. 

To conclude, encouraging the exchange of knowledge between different generations and cultures not only enriches young students but also experienced professionals. For this reason, building a connection of reciprocal involvement with students is crucial for us at De Nora, since we assist them in entering the workforce while also knowing that we can rely on their exceptional potential.