gE Academy+ 2020
Our first Academy for students & recent graduates!
Overview
Between 25-29 May 2020, garagErasmus Foundation organised -in collaboration with GY Academy and thanks to the support of the Erasmus Student and Alumni Alliance (ESAA)- an innovative on-line academy open to bachelor and master students and also to recent graduates to improve their job hunting and professional skills, intending to create a highly professional training academy providing students and recent graduates with concrete answers and suggestions on the job market change after the COVID-19 emergency.
In fact, we have noticed a significant amount of disorientation between people that were about to enter the working life, demoralisation and fear on how to succeed despite this sudden and unforeseen situation. The Academy was, in this sense, an opportunity for many young people to boost their confidence and adapt to new circumstances as they appear.
garagErasmus Academy+ 2020 was a pleasant experience that allowed us to train students from everywhere in Europe but also from other continents on how to face the first steps of their future professional career. CEOs, entrepreneurs, HR experts and specialists of the job market held online lectures, also including an interactive part as well for questions and comments. The speakers, who also have great experience in the educational world, gave important tips to the participants.
Training sessions were followed by our Erasmus Alumni talks: former Erasmus students now holding a relevant professional position shared their success stories inspiring the Academy+ 2020 participants and current labour trends of their sector.
Its results were beyond any expectations: 337 students and recent graduates registered in only four days of actual promotion on social media and through personal emails to contacts of the Foundation. A selection in order to guarantee an effective programme and personal answers to all the questions asked by the participants was made and the final number of selected candidates that participated to the programme was 77 coming from 25 different countries – ensuring a wide variety of cultural exchange. All in all, 32 of them followed all the sessions of the project and received a certificate of attendance.
gE Academy+ 2020 was a great incentive for the Foundation in understanding the interest of new project modalities, such as virtual programmes, to continue working on similar activities in the future. In regard to this, we have been collecting feedback through an online survey and several students have sent a personal video for gE to be published and to spread the importance of the knowledge acquired during this week. garagErasmus will treasure all the constructive feedback for future online initiatives.
Videos of the Erasmus Alumni Talks
Monday, 25 May
The first lecture of the Academy (‘2020: time to adopt a new mindset) was in hands of professor Julian Azzopardi (CEO at UP Insights, Coaching and Training & Chair of Vistage Malta Key Executive Group), who had driven several participants through the world of individual leadership. Azzopardi was presented by gE Director Carlo Bitetto.
After this masterclass we also had our first Erasmus Alumni talk with the Young International Recruitment Professional Eriselda Barjamaj. In an interview with President of gE4Silesia Marco Cillepi, Eriselda gave us extremely practical tips for jobhunting.
Tuesday, 26 May
Presented by our project officer Serena Țenea, gE President & GY Academy CEO Francesco Cappè focused his lecture on international labour trends and how universities & current/future workers should address them. Blended-learning, acquired flexibility and continuous education are some of nowadays’ keys to success.
We could also listen to Higher Education & Internationalization Manager at International Association of Universities (IAU-AIU) & former Erasmus Student Network President Giorgio Marinoni’s enriching studying, working & volunteering experiences and his post COVID-19 views and tips for jobhunting.
Wednesday, 27 May
Clive Cusens (language and communications specialist) gave us many useful tips for a successful online job interview including the best ways to introduce yourself, body language, answering difficult questions and the S.T.A.R method! This first session was moderated by our Director Carlo Bitetto.
After that, consultant Laura Moreno explained to us in a live Erasmus Alumni talk with our CEO Fabrizio Bitetto how Erasmus exchanges help participants’ lives to adopt a new mindset, enabling them to learn new languages, managing things better by themselves. We could also get to know her experience as a social media influencer and yoga teacher.
Thursday, 28 May
Clive Cusens taught us the most effective ways of behaving and techniques to manage both online & in-person meetings.
We also had the opportunity to hold an Erasmus Alumni talk with the lawyer and diplomat Rocco Palma who told us about how his Erasmus experience contributed to shape all the stages of his later professional career. Serena Țenea was in charge of presenting and moderating both sessions.
Friday, 29 May
Introduced and moderated by Serena Țenea, the last lecture of gEAcademy+ was conducted by afternoon Professor Julian Azzopardi. He taught us what are the keys of leading under F.I.R.E. “Acknowledging weaknesses is not about failing. It is about learning from experience, looking forward & making positive changes”, he stated.
On Friday we also had the last Erasmus Alumni talk with Mauricio Cuevas, who is now working as an international lawyer in Marbella, Spain. Mauricio stressed the importance of networking within the Erasmus Generation & learning new languages.
PARTNERS OF THE PROJECT
garagErasmus Foundation (Italy)
Erasmus Student and Alumni Alliance (ESAA)
GY Academy (Malta)
German 
English 
Italian 
French 
Spanish