University means many things: lessons, exams, people.
Study, learn, grow.
A reality of which there is often little awareness in the context of academic life is that represented by student associations.
By Greta Valsecchi and Alice Arcardini
JEMP members and student, Politecnico di Milano
The horizon of student associations is very broad, varied and welcoming: we deal with representation, social, political, cultural, sports and entertainment projects. In different ways and forms, the aim is to bring students closer to the academic institution, to provide tools to enrich the course of study.
Projects, people and ideas are just some of the benefits available to students who want to get involved to do something more.
Sometimes these realities even manage to create a very tangible bridge between the academic classroom and the world of work: at the Politecnico di Milano one of these bridges is supported by JEMP.
JEMP is the name of the Junior Enterprise of the Politecnico di Milano.
It is an organization of students from different faculties who
carry out projects for external companies in thiw way engaging and sharing different skills and backgrounds. The functioning principle is similar a small consulting firm’s one, where the service portfolio is modulated on the people who are part of the association.
JEMP welcomes mainly engineering and design students and is dedicated to projects ranging from business plans to the definition of a coordinated image, having startups, SMEs and multinationals as clients.
The point is always to get involved and learning by doing.
Within a reality of this type, one learns to approach new issues and problems with flexibility and method, to manage projects, time and resources. Furthermore, in the context of external projects and the management of the internal organization, one is in contact and in continuous collaboration with other members. People are the true asset of a Junior Enterprise and their enthusiasm is the most powerful engine.
JEMP is located within the Italian network of Junior Enterprises, which brings together associations linked to universities located throughout the territory. This provides further opportunities for growth, comparison and collaboration between Junior and companies.
The creation of synergies is also very interesting within the Politecnico: JEMP has collaborated with NECSTLab, the innovative laboratory that works within the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering, organizing a two-days workshop on the topic of Time Management. Alice Arcardini and Lorenzo Chiesa, two members of JEMP, in this occasion have deepened the theories and best practices on the organization and planning of their daily routine, also based on their life divided between lessons, studies and projects by Junior Entrepreneurs.
The topics covered were those of the work-life balance and how to manage one’s time in an optimal manner. The main issues which can be found during a process of this kind have been analyzed: procrastination, stress management, quantification of time, priority and importance, coordination with the team.
Another collaboration with the NECSTLab involved the participation of two JEMPers at the NECST Tech time on Wednesday 6 November, a program dedicated to the study themes of the NECSTLab which is broadcasted on POLI.RADIO. During this episode there was still the opportunity to explain the reality of JEMP and its different aspects.
In future, there will be other collaborations with NECSTLab such as the collaboration of some JEMPers in the StartUp101 course, in the context of “Passion in Action” program.
