“Talking of Business” with Schools Crosses the Finish Line
Milan, Pavia, Rome, Turin, Vicenza, as well as Lugano in Switzerland, Barcelona in Spain, Bogotá in Colombia, and Monterrey in Mexico. The young people who took part in the educational courses organised by the Pirelli Foundation this past school year came from all these places and more: over 2500 primary and secondary school students took part in 93 events, totalling approximately 150 hours in classroom and online studies.
The journey, as the programme’s title – Parlar d’Impresa – suggests, was about “talking of business”. Words, along with images and sounds, guided the students as they explored various facets of the highly diverse world of Pirelli. 13 different events explored Pirelli’s corporate culture, with guided tours, digital content, interactive platforms, games, and assisted readings of works and documents. This narrative seamlessly blended science and technology with art and creativity. “I never imagined that a company that makes tyres could possibly work with so many artists – writers, photographers, actors, graphic designers, and musicians”, says Marta, class 2G, art school. Simone, 2B, technical and professional institute, adds, “I was surprised to hear that Pirelli put on a concert inside one of their factories, halting production in order to do so.” Alessandro, 5A, scientific high school, notes: “I found out that a company can communicate in lots of different ways, promoting not just its products but also important concepts such as technological development, environmental awareness, and safety.”
“Communicate” was chosen as a key verb and an underlying thread when talking about the company. It was used, for example, to highlight the importance of innovation and the relationship between Pirelli and the arts. The older students were assisted in their analysis of effective communication techniques and while creating an advertising campaign, while the younger students penned poetic compositions about the countless potential applications of rubber, using words and sounds, rhymes, and onomatopoeia.
The verb “remember” served as the starting point for tracing the company’s development through the documents in the historical archive, helping students understand the importance of sources in reconstructing our past and planning our future.
The verb “experiment” helped us investigate the never-ending work conducted each day by Pirelli technicians and engineers for the creation of tyres that are increasingly innovative, safe, and eco-friendly. The students also tested their skills by programming a small Formula 1 car that navigated a track based on given commands.
Through the word “promote”, the students explored the countless activities and projects that the Pirelli Foundation undertakes in order to make known its historical and artistic heritage to the public.
Finally, “envision” helped the students find out about the key figures in the technological and cultural development of the company: the men and women whose creativity and insights have brought about such significant changes and have led to such innovative products. The schools also used the concept of “envisioning” as the basis for a series of podcasts devoted to various aspects of corporate culture.
These words, along with others, accompanied us on our journey, through the past and present of Pirelli. The journey has now come to an end, but the Pirelli Foundation will be putting on a new programme next school year. New methods and content will meet the needs of schools, introducing students to the world of production and work and to its core values.
Milan, Pavia, Rome, Turin, Vicenza, as well as Lugano in Switzerland, Barcelona in Spain, Bogotá in Colombia, and Monterrey in Mexico. The young people who took part in the educational courses organised by the Pirelli Foundation this past school year came from all these places and more: over 2500 primary and secondary school students took part in 93 events, totalling approximately 150 hours in classroom and online studies.
The journey, as the programme’s title – Parlar d’Impresa – suggests, was about “talking of business”. Words, along with images and sounds, guided the students as they explored various facets of the highly diverse world of Pirelli. 13 different events explored Pirelli’s corporate culture, with guided tours, digital content, interactive platforms, games, and assisted readings of works and documents. This narrative seamlessly blended science and technology with art and creativity. “I never imagined that a company that makes tyres could possibly work with so many artists – writers, photographers, actors, graphic designers, and musicians”, says Marta, class 2G, art school. Simone, 2B, technical and professional institute, adds, “I was surprised to hear that Pirelli put on a concert inside one of their factories, halting production in order to do so.” Alessandro, 5A, scientific high school, notes: “I found out that a company can communicate in lots of different ways, promoting not just its products but also important concepts such as technological development, environmental awareness, and safety.”
“Communicate” was chosen as a key verb and an underlying thread when talking about the company. It was used, for example, to highlight the importance of innovation and the relationship between Pirelli and the arts. The older students were assisted in their analysis of effective communication techniques and while creating an advertising campaign, while the younger students penned poetic compositions about the countless potential applications of rubber, using words and sounds, rhymes, and onomatopoeia.
The verb “remember” served as the starting point for tracing the company’s development through the documents in the historical archive, helping students understand the importance of sources in reconstructing our past and planning our future.
The verb “experiment” helped us investigate the never-ending work conducted each day by Pirelli technicians and engineers for the creation of tyres that are increasingly innovative, safe, and eco-friendly. The students also tested their skills by programming a small Formula 1 car that navigated a track based on given commands.
Through the word “promote”, the students explored the countless activities and projects that the Pirelli Foundation undertakes in order to make known its historical and artistic heritage to the public.
Finally, “envision” helped the students find out about the key figures in the technological and cultural development of the company: the men and women whose creativity and insights have brought about such significant changes and have led to such innovative products. The schools also used the concept of “envisioning” as the basis for a series of podcasts devoted to various aspects of corporate culture.
These words, along with others, accompanied us on our journey, through the past and present of Pirelli. The journey has now come to an end, but the Pirelli Foundation will be putting on a new programme next school year. New methods and content will meet the needs of schools, introducing students to the world of production and work and to its core values.