Start-Me Up: training tomorrow’s entrepreneurs

On 15 April, the second edition of the Start-Me Up training programme, designed by Joule to strengthen the Sicilian economy by empowering young people and helping them gain a better understanding of the job market, concluded at the Enilive Biorefinery in Gela.

Astronaut Luca Parmitano joined the closing event live from Houston. After answering some questions, he expressed his gratitude to the young participants for their time: “Time – he said – is one of the most valuable things we have, and you, young people, are fortunate to have plenty of it. Investing your time in personal growth and development is an investment in the future. The future does not belong to you alone, because the future of the planet and your future belong to all of us, but you bear the great responsibility of holding it in your hands. So, thinking about where you will be in one month, one year, five or ten years, and reflecting on how you can make a contribution to the future, is incredibly important, and for that I thank you. I also thank you for the time you have devoted to me today. I wish you the best of luck, and I hope you enjoy the rest of your lives”.

Following the success of the first edition, with 18% of participants finding employment, the second edition began in September 2024, again dedicated to young people from Sicily. Out of 160 applications, 86 young people were selected to start two training courses, Startup and Developer.

The initiative aimed to increase the participants’ awareness of their own talents by enhancing their soft skills and offering them the opportunity to work on entrepreneurial projects that can bring direct benefits locally, starting with Eni’s energy supply chain.