Around 187 pupils of the 9th Year from Famalicão are ‘stepping into the shoes’ of professionals from various sectors as part of a micro-internship experience programme organised by the Vila Nova de Famalicão local authority.
The initiative, which runs until 10 April, aims to provide young people in the municipality with direct contact with the business world, helping them to make informed and confident decisions about their future educational path.
“At the moment, I’m torn between a few areas,” says Rita Coelho, a pupil at D. Maria II Primary School, who, as part of this municipal programme, is currently undertaking a placement at one of the town’s pharmacies, Farmácia da Devesa. “In my application, I chose Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health and Administration. I thought that by trying out some of them, it might help me get a better idea of what I want to pursue in Year 10,” explains the young woman, who decided to take part in the Mini-Internship programme “because of the practical insight it gives us into certain professions”.
“By providing a real-world work experience, we are giving our young people an important tool to aid their decision-making,” explains Pedro Oliveira, the Councillor for Education for the Municipality of Famalicão, adding that these young people are at a crucial stage in their educational journey, which requires “an informed and conscious choice, so that they feel confident they have made the right decision for their future”.
The mayor also highlights the importance of “the collaboration of the many companies and services that rose to this challenge”. The council’s Councillor shares this view for the Economy and Entrepreneurship, Augusto Lima, who sees this initiative as an opportunity for young people to get to know and forge closer ties with the municipality’s extensive business community.
“In this edition, we had 102 companies and nearly 200 interns take part – significant figures that have grown over the years, demonstrating the interest on the part of companies in welcoming these students,” comments Augusto Lima.
“In addition to the benefits for the interns, I am certain that companies will have much to gain from this initiative in the future, as they have a great need to recruit specialised staff and this type of project gives them the chance to showcase the opportunities and challenges of their sector,” he adds.
It should be noted that the Mini-Internship programme, promoted by the Municipality of Famalicão, is aimed at Year 9 pupils enrolled in schools within the Local Education and Training Network of Vila Nova de Famalicão. Its main focus is to provide vocational exploration, based on observing professional practice in a real organisational context, enabling these students to learn about specific roles and develop integrated skills, whilst gaining a more realistic understanding of the dynamics of a particular professional field.
