Interns Complete the Second Edition of the Future Talents’ Factory Programme
The two-month internship programme under the second edition of Agropolychim’s Future Talents’ Factory concluded with a final gathering and certificate ceremony.
This year, the programme attracted more than 200 applications, with 12 young people, 10 interns and two trainees, selected to join teams across Agropolychim Group companies.
Eight interns completed their two-month programme at the end of August, while two others, currently studying at universities abroad, finished their internships earlier in line with their academic calendars. For the two trainees, the professional experience at Agropolychim continues until the end of the year as part of their six-month programme.
Real Work Experience with Mentors by Their Side
From their very first days with the company, the participants became part of their teams’ day-to-day work. They contributed to real processes and assignments, gaining first-hand experience of how the knowledge acquired at school and university translates into professional practice.
Throughout the programme, they were supported by their mentors – more than 15 professionals from different areas across Agropolychim and other Group companies, including Rimakem, Grain Terminal Varna West and Aliphos Bulgaria. The mentors shared their expertise, provided feedback and guided the participants as they took their first steps in a professional environment.
Future Talks – Young People Ask the Questions
The second edition of Future Talents’ Factory also introduced a new format – Future Talks.
The first session brought together directors and experts who presented developments in their respective areas, discussed key challenges and future scenarios, and spoke openly about their own career paths, the decisions they had made and the lessons they had learned along the way.
The second session was held with Agropolychim Executive Director Eng. Krasimir Berbenkov, giving the interns an opportunity to ask their questions directly.
What will Agropolychim look like in the future? Where is the chemical industry heading? What changes and opportunities lie ahead for the sector?
These were among the topics explored during the discussion. Future Talks gave participants an opportunity to step beyond their day-to-day responsibilities and discuss the broader perspective directly with the Executive Director – the future development of the company and the industry in which they themselves are taking their first professional steps.
Agropolychim in 2050 – The Future Through the Eyes of Our Interns
Following Future Talks, it was the interns’ turn to look ahead. As part of the programme, they were challenged to present their own vision of Agropolychim in 2050.
What will the company look like more than two decades from now? How will production evolve? Which technologies, processes and ideas will shape the modern industrial company of the future?
Through their projects, the participants offered their own answers to these questions from the perspective of a generation that will play an active role in industry over the decades ahead.
The ideas they presented reflected not only the knowledge and impressions gained during their internships, but also their own perspective on how industry could evolve in an environment shaped by new technologies, processes and opportunities.
The Final Gathering – A Time for Reflection and Feedback
The closing event brought together the eight interns, two trainees and their mentors, with a focus on the experiences and knowledge gained over the previous two months.
Each mentor shared a personal message with their intern, reflecting on their work together, the progress made and the qualities demonstrated by the participants throughout the programme.
The interns also had the opportunity to share their perspectives. In their own reflections, they spoke about what they had learned, their experience of working within their teams and what it had meant to become part of Agropolychim.
Executive Director Eng. Krasimir Berbenkov presented certificates to the participants who successfully completed the internship programme. The gathering continued with gifts, conversations and shared moments between the participants and their mentors.
One Programme, Different Paths Ahead
Future Talents’ Factory was launched in 2025 with the aim of building stronger links between education and the professional world, while giving young people an opportunity to experience the industry from within.
The second edition built on this foundation with more participants, active mentorship, hands-on assignments and projects, as well as new formats such as Future Talks, designed to encourage direct dialogue between young people and the company’s management.
For the interns, the two-month programme has now come to an end. For the two trainees, their Future Talents’ Factory journey will continue until the end of the year.
What remains beyond the programme is the knowledge and practical experience gained, the new connections made and the professional relationships built during these first steps into the industry.
