The Professions of the Future? Creative, Technological and, Above All, Sustainable

A PROJECT BY MIND INVOLVES PARTICIPANTS IN THE EXECUTIVE MASTER IN FINANCE AND A SELECTION OF STUDENTS FROM GRADUATE SCHOOL PROGRAMS. THE TASK ENTRUSTED TO THEM IS TO DEFINE HOW COMPANIES WILL LOOK IN THE COMING YEARS AND WHICH NEW PROFESSIONAL FIGURES THEY WILL NEED



Imagine districts in which, perfectly integrating, the works of the future are a mix of creativity, innovation and sustainability. An arduous and at the same time stimulating task entrusted to the 70 students of the Executive Master in Finance of SDA Bocconi School of Management plus 100 talented students selected from the MSc programs of the Graduate School. They participated, divided into 21 groups , in the Mind Inno Competition of Mind Milano Innovation District, the specialized zone derived from the transformation of the Arexpo area, site of the 2015 Expo. Mind represents an innovative formula of public-private partnership in which there is ample space for schools and universities as well.  Under the aegis of Mind Education, they were assigned numerous projects that students had to develop. "Bocconi has been entrusted with 'The work of the future'", says Andrea Beltratti, Academic Director of the EMF, "also in consideration of the fact that the University and SDA pay constant attention to the impact of corporate and financial institutions on innovation , sustainability and the professions ". 

It was precisely on the professions of the future that the group work of the students focused over the intense weekend of 27-28 June, which constituted phase 2 of the project.  In this part, the students, with an alternation of interventions by important guests from the academic world and professions, were able to work in virtual boxes on the task assigned to them. The guests, among others, included Rector Gianmario Verona, Tito Boeri, Antonella Carù, Giuseppe Soda, Illimity CEO  Corrado Passera, CEO of Arexpo Igor De Biasio, Executive Advisor of Mind Stefano Minini, and Councilman for Urban Planning of the City of Milan, Pierfrancesco Maran. In phase 2 the participants put into practice what they learned in phase 1, that is, during "the 11 seminars held by Bocconi faculty that served to provide all the ingredients to prepare for the second phase ”, says Alessia Bezzecchi, Program Director of the EMF.  

"My team and I worked by imagining what the value chain of Bracco Farmaceutica will be in the future and what new job figures, which currently do not exist, will be needed", says Michela Rubini, a graduate in Economics from the University of Parma, now enrolled in the EMF at SDA. "It is a truly stimulating project from the beginning, with the contributions of Bocconi professors who opened up new worlds to us, made us understand what the new needs of the world market are, and what the challenges are in light of the profound innovation processes in act. I had enrolled in the Master essentially to get a technical preparation, but this project is giving me much more, "continues the student. “Also interesting is the formula that combines our Master students with younger students from the MSc programs, that is, us with our practical skills, and them still fresh from academic theory. A stimulating mix ". 

For Enrico Marchini, enrolled in the EMIT MSc and passionate about technology, “it was a true 360 ° experience, which combined theoretical activity with interactions and discussions with professors and top managers. My group deals with Mitsubishi Electronics, we have analyzed the current organizational structure and we have tried to imagine what it will be like in the future, also from a Mind perspective. Working with Executive Master students has given me a lot. " 
  
Now phase 3 has officially started, the last part of the course. The various groups will have the opportunity to meet individually with the CEOs of the companies involved to better understand their needs. By September 3 they will have to deliver their final papers. On September 18, the award ceremony will be held before the CEOs of the various companies. 

Whether in presence or remotely, we will have to see. 

by Davide Ripamonti
Translated by Richard Greenslade