Last Monday 11 and Tuesday 12 October, 15 students from grades 10, 11 and 12 had the experience of a vocational internship at the Harinera del Valle production plant. During this visit, organised by CCB’s Counselling Office, they learned about the way in which the different professional profiles are developed within an organisation, interacting with plant and administrative staff. They also learned about the different brands and products built by this company that for many decades has been the pride of the region and its history is intertwined with the School.
“As part of the professional orientation programme, we always try to get vocational internships for students, especially in grades 10, 11 and 12. We had the best experience with Harinera del Valle, taking into account that there was a personal interest in it by the General Manager, Juan Carlos Henao Ramos (CCB Class of 85), who wanted to make this contribution to the CCB and extended us an excellent invitation. It has been the most wonderful and generous experience that we have been able to receive from this company that has been part of our community, of our CCB family since its founders”. said Miriam Polo de Molina, CCB College Counsellor.
In a virtual chat that took place on Monday 11 October, the students got to know some of the members who hold administrative positions in this company, as well as the different jobs and the careers that the people who held them had studied.
“It is an experience I will remember for the rest of my life. In the different talks we were able to understand what each job consists of, so that we could have an idea of what we like and make it easier to choose a professional career. It helped me to be clearer about whether industrial design, which is what I want to study, is really the path for me”, said Belixa Velásquez, a 12th grader.
The chat also touched on issues related to coexistence at work and the importance of a harmonious environment among co-workers.
“We spoke with the person in charge of Human Resources and he taught us a lot about what it was like to live together in a company. He showed us what the environment was like, what it is like to live with many people and even the importance of having a good relationship with everyone,” said Juan José Martínez from grade 12.
The next day they visited the plant. There they learned about all the industrial processes and identified the different types of products that are manufactured. They also observed the processes involved in building a company and saw how the knowledge acquired during their studies is applied practically when it comes to carrying out each function within a company.
“I plan to study industrial engineering and one of the people I met who studied industrial engineering told me that he has worked in different companies and has always held different positions”. Juan José mentioned.
At the end of this day of practice and knowledge, they visited the Escuela Gastronómica where they cooked a lasagna from scratch using Harinera del Valle’s flagship products. Thus they closed this experience with a delicious finishing touch. Now each one of them can find the profession that most appeals to them thanks to this being a rewarding experience full of reflection, passion and gastronomy.
