The energy transition is evolving through the ideas, energy and determination of the new generations: the Fondazione MAIRE - ETS supports them with concrete action through MAIREmpower, the landmark project to build a more sustainable tomorrow starting from the schoolhouse to the university classroom and beyond. With a longterm commitment the Foundation, through the first edition of this initiative, is providing guidance to about 1,800 young students with a total of more than 5,000 man-hours of training and offering 10 young students from fragile backgrounds the chance to access scholarships for the three-year university degree, giving talented young people the right opportunities to develop and claim their place.

What the project entails

Implemented with the support of the Elis Consortium, the project is structured in three phases designed to accompany young people from high school through college graduation. This past June the competition announcement was circulated among the targeted schools in Rome and the surrounding Province, and in October the first encounters began in 4th year high school classrooms, where the Foundation started a direct dialogue on the topic of energy transition with students.

Climate, circular economy and sustainability are the themes that tie together each meeting aimed at students: a valuable opportunity that, in addition to being a pathway for soft skills and orientation "PCTO), highlights the multidisciplinary skills needed to face the future. These are real workshops in which students explore the crucial role of training in the preparation for change. At the end of each session the competition application process is explained to the students in detail, its deadlines, and the steps to follow if they aspire to take part in the second phase: the MAIREmpower summer school.

From school desks to summer school

The summer school is the heart of MAIREmpower: a ten-day full immersion of learning, personal growth and teamwork. From July 19 to July 28, 2025, twenty young people selected from the participants in the training meetings will live side by side in a dedicated facility, accompanied by professionals and coaches who will guide them on a path made up of lectures, practical activities and recreational activities.

The themes explored will be those of sustainability and engineering in the service of the environment, encompassing soft skills development workshops, role-playing and team building, with the aim of igniting a passion for a career in the STEM disciplines in these young students, preparing them to be key players in the energy transition. At the end of the summer school, the third phase of the project will begin, leading to the final selection of ten young people: they will be the ones who will receive three-year scholarships, starting from the academic year 2026-2027, with ongoing mentoring and motivational support that will accompany them through graduation.

Each scholarship will cover not only university tuition fees but also living expenses, thus guaranteeing concrete support for their educational and professional journey. With this initiative, the Fondazione MAIRE - ETS wants to send a clear message to all students, including those who will not take part in the competition: training is invaluable. Seizing every learning opportunity is crucial to building the skills of tomorrow.