Sometimes, it doesn’t take much to remove obstacles, overcome barriers and get on the path to successful integration. This is exactly what the workplace observation internship can represent for middle school students: the opportunity to meet these people, have these experiences and discover these new possibilities.
It is therefore only right that the public authorities have called for the general mobilisation of companies to take in middle school pupils, particularly those from working-class neighbourhoods. Giving every opportunity to all young people, especially the least advantaged among them, is indeed a pressing obligation bearing in mind that today 1,700,000 young people aged between 15 and 29 are side-lined because they cannot find jobs, studies or training. With a youth unemployment rate of 22.3% for young people aged 15-24, France has the unfortunate privilege of being among the worst performers in the OECD (36th out of 41).
A country that does not believe in its youth does not believe in its future.
It is a country’s duty to address this social exclusion and it is also, of course, the duty of companies. Companies can indeed play a decisive role in enabling secondary school children to gain an initial experience that is often a vital step towards their successful entry into the world of work. However, they still need to have access to these companies and enriching internships. And yet, this is not the case for everyone, for want of a family and social environment that opens the right doors for them and because some find themselves forgotten, out-of-touch and vulnerable on the fringes of our national community.
A necessity
There is an urgent need to address this issue. It is a choice for the future of our companies themselves. Given that their activity is embedded in the social fabric and daily life of the general public, companies necessarily need multiple, diverse and diversified talents that reflect our clients and society as a whole.
750 middle school trainees from priority education areas
It is in this spirit that we responded immediately to the call from the public authorities. Our commitment alone represents 5% of the effort that the French President has asked private companies to make. We have made the commitment to take in 750 middle school pupils from priority education zones in our Regional Banks and the various Crédit Agricole SA entities. During their week-long internship, these students will be able to discover the company and become part of the talent pool necessary for the future of our companies.
An obvious choice
It is not only our sense of compassion that leads us naturally to act against social injustice and inequality of opportunity. Neither is it merely an action in line with the projects of our companies, which constantly strive to support communities in all geographical areas. It is first and foremost an obvious choice: for our companies, the diversity of our teams, their roots and their experience is an exceptional source of creativity and dynamism.
