"New future" National Day at USI

The national "New Future" Day was celebrated on Thursday, 14 November 2024. At Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), teenagers had the chance to explore new perspectives and gain practical experience in professions and sectors where their gender is underrepresented.

The Day particularly encourages young men and women to pursue their interests and talents when choosing a career path, challenging stereotypes that suggest certain professions are better suited for one gender over the other. To support this initiative, cantonal middle schools have granted students a day of justified absence. During this day, students can either accompany their parents to work (if their parents are in professions where gender balance can be improved) or participate in organized programmes.

Università della Svizzera italiana (USI), through the Equal Opportunities Service and in collaboration with the Faculty of Informatics and the Human Resources Service, took part in the initiative by proposing a day in which girls, thanks to the testimonies of experts in the field, could discover how informatics can be engaging and fun for everyone. The boys, on the other hand, were welcomed by the Human Resources Service to discover an interesting female-dominated sector. A total of 27 girls were welcomed by the Faculty of Informatics and 4 boys by the Human Resources Service.

The initiative aimed at encouraging more women to enter STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields and encouraging men to participate in the human resources sector was enthusiastically received by the young people who took part in the workshops and activities offered. "The day was fun and useful. At first, I didn't know what HR stood for, but after the presentation, I learned a great deal about the subject. What I appreciated most was the blend of explanations and practical examples," said one of the young people who took part in the initiative. "The day was interesting, providing valuable insight into how HR operates. I had a lot of fun during the job interview simulation," echoed another participant. "During the day, I discovered how much fun IT can be! I really enjoyed the Thymio programming activity," remarked one of the girls. "Exploring the world of informatics was fun; I had never programmed a robot before, and it was great!" concluded another girl.