In a special three-day programme, students from around Madrid saw their understanding of Spain’s postal operations broadened, their critical thinking and teamwork skills stretched, and their creativity showcased during Correos’ participation in the 4th ESO + Business Programme.
This event, developed by the Madrid Regional Department of Education, Universities and Science, connects students in their fourth and final year of compulsory education, called the 4th ESO, with participating organizations, such as Correos, to learn about their business.And at Correos, these students do more than observe the post’s inner workings, it’s a real hands-on experience.
“The youngest people, in general, associate Correos with the business of letters only, and we provide them a broader vision of e-commerce, other new businesses, digitalization, internationalization, and our commitment to the environment and climate change, among others,” said Elena Fernández-Rodríguez, Director of International Affairs and SDGs.
Education is a key focus for Correos. Within the framework of the post’s SDG Alignment Model, Correos has carried out several initiatives that highlight its commitment to the community, Fernández-Rodríguez said, particularly regarding education.
“We believe that, by participating in this programme, in addition to bringing students closer to the activities carried out by Correos, we can provide them with new points of view and different perspectives that will also be useful to them in their daily lives,” Fernández-Rodríguez said.
The programme brought together young people from different neighbourhoods. Nearly 100 schools applied to send students to Correos. The post was able to offer places to approximately 40 students, two per school.
Students learned about the post and were given a tour through a logistics centre. But it wasn’t just passive learning experience, they were given a task: students were assigned business challenges to address: “Can Correos be a benchmark in an increasingly digital world?” and "How can we create sustainable and circular packaging?”
The students worked in teams of four to develop a product or service that addressed these challenges and took the development through the pre-prototyping phase, taking into consideration the target audience, Fernández-Rodríguez said. These activities allowed them to develop skills such as critical thinking, team building, and creativity.
Solutions ranged from a video game to learn geography and the history of Correos to an app that facilitated sending of parcels while allowing customers to get to know each other through the platform, she explained.
“We believe this initiative is a good example of how companies can engage with the society further from the usual provision of services they offer,” Fernández-Rodríguez said.