The trainings of the National Internship Initiative, “Stay in Bulgaria,” received a high rating from the 80 interns from member companies of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria (CWBB), who joined the initiative, conducted in partnership with A1. Over 90% of the participants stated that the knowledge and skills acquired will support their future professional development. Within one month, representatives of Generation Z, interning at member companies of CWBB, attended five specialized professional trainings on social skills. Interns received advice from established specialists in various fields to support them at the beginning of their professional journey. This covered topics like job interview preparation and performance, presentation skills, project management and building a personal brand on social media.

Tsvetanka Mincheva, Chair of the Board of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria and CEO of Unicredit Bulbank, welcomed the interns during the closing of the initiative and wished them to continue expanding their knowledge.

“Transferring experience and knowledge to enthusiastic young people at the beginning of their career path is a mission to support the future professionals in the world of technology and business. That is why A1 conducts various programs to support the start of their career development,” commented Miglena Uzunova-Tsekova, Senior Director of Human Resources at A1 Bulgaria and member of the Board of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria.

“Our support for the national internship initiative of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria and the long-term and positive feedback we receive brings us joy and satisfaction. This is a clear sign that the time, effort and expertise invested in its preparation will contribute to the personal and career development of over 80 young people who joined the program,” said Lyubomir Ivanov, Senior Manager, Talent Acquisition, A1 Bulgaria, during the official closing of the initiative.

The program was conducted with the support of A1 for the fourth consecutive year, as part of the technology company’s overall strategy to support the career start and professional development of young people. A1’s youth initiatives include a year-round internship initiative, a Summer Academy for outstanding university and high-school students, partnerships with leading educational institutions and more.

The National Internship Initiative of the Council of Women in Business in Bulgaria was created with the aim to support the personal development of young people and encourage interns to expand the knowledge and skills gained during their education. Its eighth edition was held this year. It provides the participants with an opportunity to better prepare for their career development. This year, the interns who participated in the initiative, got to know in person established specialists from leading Bulgarian and international companies that are members of the Council and learned more about some of the significant projects they are working on. Within the initiative, the participants also took part in volunteer activities. To date, a total of more than 10,000 representatives of Generation Z have interned at CWBB member companies. More than a quarter of them continued their careers on full-time positions at the company where they interned.