138 university students, of which 65 come from the University of Oviedo, finish their training at EDP today, granted a distinctive for completing their Martín Gonzalez del Valle scholarships 2020-2021. For a second year in a row, an event was carried out 100% digitally through Facebook Live, during which the interns wrapping up their scholarships received a certificate alongside appreciation for all their hard work, passion, teamwork and, particularly, their ability to adapt to the circumstances. As this year’s training was digital in its entirety, it posed a challenge both for students and their tutors, guides of their day-to-day at the company. However, during the last few months, and once the numbers of COVID-19 cases started to go down, some interns decided of their own volition to come to their work centre while following every implemented prevention measure to ensure a safe environment.

This edition, number 37, has seen the involvement of 65 students of 25 specialties from the University of Oviedo, which include Electric Engineering, Mathematics, Economy, Law, and Business and Marketing. They were present through their screens at a digital event that saw the involvement of Alfonso Joaquín López Muñiz, vice rector of Students of the University of Oviedo, and of Vanda Martins, director of the EDP Foundation.

“This scholarship programs are essential for our student body”, pointed out the vice rector of Students of the University of Oviedo, Alfonso López Muñiz, who addressed the students and stated that “a lot of you get in contact with the workplace thanks to those scholarships. All you have learned will have its use in the future.” As for Vanda Martins, director of the EDP Foundation, she expressed her gratitude for their efforts and has reminded them that “you will serve a crucial role in changing our society. A society that is facing challenges it never thought it would encounter.”

The Martín González del Valle scholarship program is the most prestigious of the University of Oviedo and has almost 700,000 euros at its disposal. These students, for some of which this was their first work experience and a crucial test for their integration into business work, complete 800 hours of paid training in EDP. Furthermore, they take part in continuous innovation and development programs where they contribute ideas and share experiences with other students.

The EDP Foundation develops a variety of initiatives related to educative, cultural, social, and environmental areas. University scholarships are one of the most important initiatives, particularly this program, named after Martín González del Valle, president of the company from 1987 to 1999. Since then, he was honorary president of it and of the EDP Foundation until his passing in 2015.

These scholarships aim to facilitate practical training at EDP for students from the University of Oviedo, as well as of other universities in Spain. Since its creation in 1983, more than a hundred participants have integrated themselves into the workforce of the EDP Group Spain.