IÉSEG is committed to equal opportunities, in partnership with Article 1
11/30/2021
Given an equal level of education, high school students from working-class backgrounds are half as likely to choose selective programs as those from privileged backgrounds, often due to a lack of knowledge of the programs, self-censorship or lack of confidence in their abilities. Information and exchange are therefore essential elements to enable these young people to choose their career path rather than being subjected to it.
True to its values (Accomplishment, Responsibility, Solidarity, Engagement), IÉSEG has signed a partnership with the association “Article 1” – a public interest association which has worked for more than 15 years for young people from working-class backgrounds, so that career orientation, success in higher education and professional integration do not depend on social, economic or cultural origins. The association has three axes of support for high school and college students:
- The axis « Finding your way », with its “Inspire” program, aims to help high school students in their career choices through meetings with professional and student volunteers.
- The axis « Succeeding », implemented for students who are enrolled in a higher education program, supports students in their academic success via mentoring and additional support.
- The axis « developing », for students and young professionals, aims to acknowledge and value the soft skills that they have acquired through their commitment or their extra-curricular experiences.
As part of its partnership, IÉSEG is committed to these three principles.
Through the ‘Inspire’ program, the School facilitates access to higher education for young people coming from working-class backgrounds and to support their success from high school through to employment.
Concretely, this partnership translates, first of all, into a call for commitment from all students at the School. By registering on the https://inspire-orientation.org/ platform, students become volunteer “guides” and, through workshops in high schools or informal exchanges with high school students, talk about their career path, their student life, the positive aspects of their education, and the opportunities it prepares them for. These exchanges allow high school students to project themselves into student life and deconstruct their preconceived notions about higher education and selective fields of study.
In addition, IÉSEG scholarship students can also benefit from the two other axes developed by “Article 1”. Firstly, thanks to the “Success” axis and the mentoring program, they can be accompanied by mentors in companies, identified by the association, who have volunteered to support these students and to be their first network in companies in order to help them better integrate into the professional world. Then, via the “Developing ” axis and the JobReady platform, they will be able to participate in workshops that will help them identify and make the most of the soft skills they have developed through their associative experiences and student jobs…
“Inclusion and diversity are key aspects of IESEG’s strategic vision. To pursue our commitment to this issue, we believe it is essential to work on equal opportunities, so that access to selective fields of study does not depend on social, economic or cultural background. This partnership between IESEG and Article 1 is part of the School’ multi-action plan. It allows each high school student to be guided and accompanied at each stage of his or her career, all the way to their first job. It also allows all motivated students to be actors of change by leading workshops in high schools. A strong dynamic of commitment and equality is being created within the School, and we look forward to continuing to build on this during the next stages of the program,” concludes Myriam DEGRAVE, Professor of Sustainable Development and Sustainability Manager at IÉSEG.