"Enel & Caivano": a project to bring students from suburban schools closer to the workforce.

The most important response on the ground to the pressures of organized crime, which drive so many young people to waste their lives at a young age, before the intervention of law enforcement and the judiciary, is to give young people, still students, the opportunity to enter the world of work. Thus, upon graduation, they have a viable alternative to the seductions of the clans, in an area marked by degradation and marginalization. 

With this goal in mind, the Enel Group and the Francesco Morano Institute in Caivano, in the province of Naples, launched the " Enel & Caivano: Energie Futuro " project, a School-to-Work training program (formerly PCTO) involving over 40 third-year students. Specifically, this is an educational model established by the Ministry of Education and Merit that allows Italian high school students to alternate classroom lessons with practical work experience.

Thanks to the program, the students had the opportunity to get to know Enel up close, gain a deeper understanding of the energy supply chain, and acquire essential life skills for their future careers.

Eugenia Carfora, Principal of the F. Morano Institute in Caivano , expressed "great satisfaction with the partnership with Enel, because the opportunity has created and continues to create a positive alliance, ensuring, first and foremost, the education and practice of critical thinking among students, making them fall in love and opening up avenues and opportunities, discovering the potential within each of them. At the same time, the courses create an additional tool to reduce and combat school dropout and foster student growth, strengthening their ability to never give up." The program consists of 30 hours of training delivered both in the classroom and on-site at Enel Green Power and E-Distribuzione facilities, including the Presenzano and Matese power plants, the Astroni Primary Substation in Agnano, and the Nocera Inferiore training center. A true full-immersion exploration of energy professions, where students have the opportunity to interact with professionals who ensure the country's energy supply on a daily basis, receiving valuable insights and suggestions to understand the sector and navigate the world of work. Enel's initiative builds on a well-established collaboration with the Institute, which in 2025 has already led to the launch of post-graduation internships, allowing students to gain work experience within the multinational energy company.

Through this project, the Group led by Flavio Cattaneo strengthens not only its commitment to social inclusion, supporting an institution that has symbolized educational rebirth and has long been a point of reference for its innovative teaching programs, but also its strategic cooperation with the world of schools.

The electricity company has launched numerous initiatives throughout Italy to promote career guidance and the employability of young people. These include the numerous school-to-work training programs launched nationwide with high schools, the dual apprenticeship program with the University of L'Aquila, which promotes school-work alternation and ensures the hiring of students within the company, as well as partnerships with the ITS Academies in Macomer and Civitavecchia, of which Enel is a founding member, playing a significant role in co-designing the training program and in induction programs through the 4+2 model. These initiatives include the "Energy for Schools" program, aimed at promoting the placement of young people in Enel's supply chain immediately after completing high school.

Since 2022, "Energy for Schools" has seen over 10.000 students participate in open days, involving 130 schools and 80 companies, for a total of approximately 1.600 people trained. 

The project is a candidate for the 2026 Non Sprecare Award, in the Companies section. To submit your projects, follow the instructions here.

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