The end of university marks the end of a key chapter in your life. It is also the beginning of an exciting and challenging new path: a time to make what you have learned tangible, to seek new opportunities and to pursue what you have long been imagining from your study.
To help make the transition to employment easier, the Graduates’ training programme was launched. A strategic commitment to the best young talent, aimed at identifying and training future professionals who wish to grow within Hinojosa. Designed to offer a unique and comprehensive experience, it enables participants to take on responsibilities from day one, integrate into an international environment and develop technical and leadership skills essential for their professional career.
Challenges from day 1: training that builds on experience
One of the most valued features of the programme is the speed with which graduates take on responsibilities. Daniela, a chemical and environmental engineer, has only been working in Hinojosa for a few months and describes it as an intense learning experience: “It’s my first job opportunity after finishing my studies and I was surprised by the level of responsibility they gave us from the start, treating us as professionals“.
Appointed tutors accompany the graduates, helping them to develop their own judgement and make better decisions, and fostering their leadership skills to become future managers. “In the beginning it is a bit overwhelming, because you come in without really knowing how the world of cardboard works, but your tutor is always at your side, supporting you when you have doubts or when problems arise,” says Laura, an industrial design engineer.
In this way, training is completed by experience and by taking responsibility: you can get it right and learn or you can get it wrong… and still learn. Pedro, a chemical engineer, is very clear about this: “You can learn a lot of theory from university, but you only learn by doing, by facing the reality of day-to-day life”.
Mentoring and teamwork as keys to professional development
Continuous support is one of the keys to the success of any training programme, but Graduates goes further. Each student is accompanied by a mentor with extensive experience within Hinojosa. Laura describes it as a unique opportunity: “The tutor gives you a global perspective of the company, you learn first-hand how to run the project and how to relate to people. In my case, he has been my biggest role model and has motivated me to want to follow his example“.
Hinojosa stresses the importance of teamwork for professional development. Graduates work with a wide range of profiles, from area managers to factory operators, as well as in different projects and plants. “Communication is one of the skills I have developed most during these past months. I understand that knowing how to communicate with your colleagues and working as a team will help you the most to achieve your project’s objectives. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know everything because you will grow by collaborating with your peers,” explains Daniela.
Inter-departmental cooperation, positivity and teamwork are some of the main values of Hinojosa’s corporate culture highlighted by the three participants. “Over time, I have seen that there are some skills common to everybody in the company: a positive attitude, flexibility and adaptability,” says Daniela.
Growing and learning in a global environment
Hinojosa, as a European leader in sustainable packaging solutions, is currently undergoing a period of international growth, being present in Spain, France, Portugal and Italy. In this challenging context, graduates also face the challenge of working in a global environment.
“This international experience is exactly what I was looking for when I decided to apply for the programme. This is the first time I have worked outside my country, Portugal. I was looking for a challenge that would broaden my horizons, and this programme has it all: from the opportunity to live in France to leading strategic projects in a factory,” says Pedro.
A message to future participants
Although they have only been in the programme for a few months, the three graduates are already looking forward to a promising future at Hinojosa. Laura hopes to continue to optimise processes and lead initiatives in the company. Pedro is ready to take on new challenges in other factories. Daniela, meanwhile, remains focused on her energy efficiency project to improve Hinojosa’s positive impact.
All three know that it is time to look to the future. Hinojosa is also thinking about tomorrow: they are already working on the next edition of the programme and on the selection of new profiles to join the group. Laura is quick to recommend it to those who are eager to take on new challenges: “It’s not a programme for everyone, but if you are a versatile person, restless and eager to learn, this is the place for you. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get an insight into a working environment from the inside of an innovative company. “It is the opportunity to develop yourself in a real environment where from the first day you will assume responsibilities and you will have a complete vision of the functioning of a company. It’s an experience that will prepare you to take on positions with a solid base of real knowledge,” concludes Daniela.
As all three emphasise, the programme is more than just a first taste of the world of work: it is a springboard to leadership and innovation. Are you up for the challenge?
