UniCredit has today announced the launch of Skills for Transition, a social programme that delivers strategic training to young people and companies expected to be impacted by the green transition, helping them to develop the skills they need to meet the demands of a changing environment whilst generating a measurable social impact.

The initiative, entirely funded by the bank, sits firmly in line with UniCredit's strong commitment to promoting a just and fair transition, as well as its consistent support for education - a key driver for Europe's future. Together, these form part of the bank's stated purpose of empowering its communities to progress and underpin many of its ESG commitments.

The Skills for Transition programme, which spans six UniCredit Group countries (Italy, Germany, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania), is split into two streams, aimed at two different audiences: one for students and one for workers at UniCredit's corporate clients, helping both parties to play an active role in a just and fair transition.

The student stream, developed by POLIMI Graduate School of Management, offers selected students the chance to take part in two educational paths, a Master's programme for recent graduates and a four-month bootcamp for both current students and graduates. Both are aimed at increasing knowledge and awareness around the green transition and the Net Zero framework, helping them to acquire skills that will boost their future employment prospects.

The course will also involve working with some of the companies most exposed to the green transition, with students addressing specific business-related challenges and gaining hands-on experience, thereby putting their newfound skills into practice.

The worker stream, developed in partnership with Accenture, provides training for the workforce of UniCredit's corporate clients, offering specific learning paths to address key skill gaps. The training courses will be delivered starting from the last quarter of the year, via a digital platform in workers' local languages.

 

"We see tertiary education as one of the key levers in helping our clients and communities to progress towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and equitable society," said Fiona Melrose, Head of Group Strategy & ESG at UniCredit. "With this in mind, we are proud to be sponsoring the Skills for Transition programme, which aims not only to boost employment and improve social mobility, but also to do so in a way that equips companies to address some of the biggest challenges they face today."

"We are proud to collaborate with UniCredit on the 'Skills for Transition' programme, which perfectly aligns with the purpose of POLIMI Graduate School of Management: to nurture innovators to shape a better future for all. This initiative embodies our strategy of educating and inspiring a broad audience in the area of Purpose and Innovation for Sustainability, equipping young talents and professionals with the necessary skills to drive impactful change in the green transition", said Federico Frattini, Dean of POLIMI Graduate School of Management and Scientific Director of the programme.

More information on the Skills for Transition programme, including details on how to apply, as well as the different course structures, can be found here.