You don't have to travel far to go on a journey. Sometimes all it takes is ten days, authentic encounters, and a powerful idea: everyone can contribute to the energy transition with their own talent, so that the future is built starting with people. This is the spirit that infused the MAIREmpower 2025 Summer School, promoted by the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS: an immersive experience dedicated to twenty high school students from Rome and its province who, from July 19 to 28, shared in an intensive training program focused on knowledge, challenges, and relationships.

A path designed as a bridge between school and the world of work, between education and energy transition, between technology and humanity. Not just a simple in-depth learning experience, but a real vision workshop, where sustainability, the circular economy, arti"cial intelligence, and decarbonization were discussed, and also rights, guidance, listening, and collaboration, all accompanied by activities to discover and enhance soft skills.

The young students, selected from among the 1,300 participants in phase I of the MAIREmpower project – the training courses held in the institutes that participated in the call for applications – enjoyed a residential experience, living for 10 days with other students they did not know and following a busy program that included daily lectures, workshops, cultural visits, and opportunities for discussion. The course and all the experiences were designed with the support of Elis, a partner in phases I and II of the project. Each day offered a different lens through which to view the world.

The camp began on Saturday with team building activities to break the ice and get to know each other, followed by a Sunday spent in Monte Livata discovering "orienteering" in the woods. On the first Monday, the young students returned to the classroom and, starting off with a welcome from the Foundation team and MAIRE colleagues, began to explore how to navigate the challenges of complexity – in everyday life and in a corporate environment. What skills are needed to enter the world of work today? Soft skills, combined with technical skills – which is what this summer school, with its training program, aimed to provide to these young people.

From discussions with the younger generations already working at MAIRE – young female colleagues who shared their excitement and the experience of their journey within the company – the focus then shifted to the "circular revolution," discovering the hidden power of waste through the workshop on circularity. Then more about the rules of "living in the company", an escape room exercise to train in collaboration and ingenuity, and finally "Corporate Social Responsibility" and workplace safety issues, experienced firsthand by wearing PPE in the workshop "Prevent, Protect, Promote: Actions for Workplace Safety."

The journey continued with the "LEGO Serious Play – Sustainable Cities" workshop, an opportunity to stimulate creative thinking and teamwork, and a virtual visit to a MAIRE construction site on the other side of the world thanks to Artificial Intelligence: in an experiential way, the students put themselves in the shoes of "Heroes of the Future: energy managers for a day" to reflect on efficiency and sustainability strategies. They then alternated between exploring the most innovative topics and cultural moments such as a visit to the Colosseum in Rome.

There was also a full immersion on hydrogen, the construction of a website, and a workshop under the stars with "traveling skies", designed to investigate space and rediscover wonder. Participants were also able to go "behind the scenes of a construction site" to understand rules, best practices, rights, and duties, or try their hand at manual activities by becoming "master cheesemaker for a day." Finally, they learned how to write an effective resume and prepare for a job interview, with the aim of expressing their potential to the fullest.

In this intertwining of experiences – between technique and creativity, responsibility and discovery – a common thread emerged: "sustainability as a choice," understood not only as caring for the environment, but also as a way to build a mindful and inclusive professional future.

The alternation of lectures, interactions, workshops, and activities, all supported by experts in the field, aimed to stimulate the potential of these talented young people. At the same time in listening to each other and building new possibilities, a concrete idea of the future emerged: one of access, not exclusion, one of clean energy and also human energy.

With the MAIREmpower Summer School, the Fondazione MAIRE – ETS did more than just offer training. It gave space to desires and potential. It created a place where it was possible to train the eye and the imagination, open horizons, and strengthen self-confidence. Because building tomorrow – even when there are no certainties – requires awareness: knowing that you are not alone.