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An experience abroad can be transformative for the career and the life of any professional. With this in mind, Neoenergia​ offers to its employees international work opportunities in Iberdrola Group‘s companies, such as in Europe and the United States. The initiatives may include long-term programs, presentations in events or even independent projects requiring the involvement of Brazilian employees. The profiles and positions are diverse, and all employees may apply to vacant jobs as long as they show good performance and stand out in internal selection processes.

Wishing to enjoy an international experience is the first step. Guilherme Barbosa, who has been working in External Communication for five years, has always shown this wish and kept an eye on opportunities. In 2019, upon learning of a demand from Iberdrola for a project in Spain, focused on Digital Communication and in which a native of the Portuguese language was needed, he soon signed up. Upon approval in the selection process, he spent a month in Madrid, where he developed new skills in the area, met people and had a better understanding on how the head office worked.

“I clearly understood how Iberdrola structures its processes, how they work and, when I came back, I brought this learning for the daily routine in Brazil too”, says Barbosa.

The experience was so positive that Guilherme has signed up again. Now he signed up for a program focused on young executives that will take employees from all Group’s companies to Madrid this year. After a long selection, he will embark between October and December for a period that can last three years. “Since when I started my career I’ve had this plan of eventually search for an opportunity abroad. My wish is for the experience of being in contact with other cultures, other ways of working and also of developing myself as a professional. After my first trip, I was very excited and I soon saw this other chance, well in line with my current work", he completes.

Among the grants given is the guarantee of a job vacancy when returning to their home country after the end of the program. “Neoenergia has this profile of promoting an international experience and developing this global view for the employees, which adds value to the Group. I have always seen this as a great value in the company and believed that one day I could fulfill this desire”, he highlights.​​​

EXCHANGE BETWEEN DIFFERENT CULTURES​

“I have always been very open to international experiences and it has added a lot to know the particularities of each country, the distribution sector in each place, understand the challenges that are very different between the localities. Having this broad business view was very important for my career”, he explains.​

A highlight often mentioned by the employees is the possibility of exchange among the different cultures, which has brought benefits to the professional and personal life. “The networking I built during my experience abroad is in place till now. I always seek to consult them when we face new challenges here, so that we are able to apply the best practices based on the lessons already learned by them”, emphasizes Pedro.​

For Neoenergia, the interchange is a way to develop your employees as well as bring solutions from other countries to the company. Being aware of how each country works in certain actions allows the company to have a global vision.​

“International experience adds a lot in how we work and how the employee sees each situation. We are a multinational group and we seek to bring the expertise of each country to our daily routine, and this contributes a lot in our processes. By being selected, the employee feels valued and plays their role with even more motivation and willingness to recognize the opportunity granted”, says Régia Barbosa, Neoenergia’s organizational development superintendent.​

INTERNAL RECOGNITION

The opportunity of expanding knowledge, interacting with different areas of Iberdrola Group, living an international experience, sharing experiences and broadening the networking are relevant point, as highlights Marcelo Lopes, Renewable Hydraulic officer. With deep knowledge in Thermoelectric, he was selected for starting a project from scratch in Portugal for the construction of three hydropower plants, near to Porto. After four years and a half, the opportunity for coming back to Brazil and working in this segment arise as unique.​

“I believe that the fact of having accepted this challenge in a hydro generation project was fundamental for being selected for this opportunity in the area. The period has added a lot for me and opened doors, leading to new possibilities for my career”, says Marcelo.​

​The executive, who joined the Group 20 years ago, recognizes the support given during the period of moving and adaptation. “I went with my family, including my two daughters, who were very small at that time and all the support I received was essential so that I could take this step and start a new life in another country. In addition to the professional development, all of us had a very significant personal and cultural growth in this period. The merger of cultures, visiting neighboring countries and enabling my daughters to study in an international school brought us incomparable benefits," he recalls. “Nowadays they adapt easily in many places, are fluent in English and have friends for the whole life in Portugal. I recommend this experience to everyone who has the chance”, he completes.​

Neoenergia encourages the interchange between the companies and provides many opportunities in its internal channel. All programs and projects guarantee the necessary assistance for the transition from one country to another, as well as support in getting to know the place, school indications (in the case of children), housing, etc. The duration of the period varies according to each program or project and the participation in a selection process does not preclude signing up in others. During the pandemic caused by the new Coronavirus​, the Group's companies maintain all the necessary care so that the employees remain safe.​