Позитивные изменения. Том 3, № 3 (2023). Positive changes. Volume 3, Issue 3 (2023)

PREPARING TOMORROW’S PROFESSIONALS

The Prostoe Delo company sees a promising future in organizing internships, aiming to shape tomorrow’s experts for their team. Although the company applies systemic eco-friendly solutions and a holistic strategy to mitigate environmental effects, scaling their operations necessitates a certain kind of expertise. Unfortunately, this is often absent from the curriculum of many universities specializing in environmental fields.

“Today’s educational institutions primarily train environmental engineers or natural resource management experts who have very general knowledge. However, the crafting and execution of systemic, data-driven and eco-friendly solutions for businesses requires being skilled not just around that data, but also in using specialized software. So, we’ve stepped in to fill this educational niche,” says Anastasia Varlygina, the company’s co-founder and CEO. Presently, Prostoe Delo has joined forces with ITMO and RUDN, providing the ability to work on real-world projects for three interns.

“The ability to interface with students on multiple levels provides a robust foundation for expansive initiatives, particularly those connected with large-scale transitions. A university is more than a renowned brand; it’s an institution shaping minds. It is imperative to aptly channel this intellect, equipping them with validated information and data-handling proficiencies. Only then can we expect a transforming Russian economy, rapid progression of innovative ventures, and an expanded entrepreneurial outreach,” Varlygina believes.

Educational institutions enhance their own value proposition from collaborations with social entrepreneurs, and social businesses receive a solution to their staffing challenges and a platform to further their cause.

Similarly, Impact Hub Moscow has tapped into academic collaboration, partnering with the Graduate School of Management at St. Petersburg State University. Here, interns delve deep into the intricacies of social impact measurement tools, conduct comparative analysis, and craft pivotal recommendations.

The Dobroe Delo Social Assistance Center also welcomes interns, with 273 individuals benefiting from this program since 2021. A notable inclusion features students from the Pavlov Ryazan State Medical University, specializing in clinical psychology. Further enriching the experience, the center collaborated with the Journalism Department of Ryazan State University, inciting creativity through a journalism contest.

“We welcomed a contestant onto our team, and she was with us for six months, producing a series of captivating interviews. It was both a valuable and somewhat unexpected experience. Together, we crafted a wealth of creative content, bolstering our brand’s visibility, all achieved with minimum investment. The entire endeavor proved to be distinctly unique,” shares Olga Postnikova, the leader of Dobroe Delo.