Young people and work: 200 young people in Bologna for 'Next Jen Consulting

Traditional recruiting is no longer enough. In a context in which youth employability continues to represent one of the main challenges of the labour market in Italia, the increasing digitalisation of selection processes and the rise of online applications make it increasingly difficult to create opportunities for direct contact between students and companies. Even the consulting sector, often perceived as distant from the new generations, continues however to represent one of the main professional outlets for recent Italian graduates interested in career paths oriented towards growth, training and contact with the corporate world.

It is in this scenario that Next JEn Consulting, the first intergenerational event in Italia dedicated to the future of consulting, was born. On 15 and 16 May 2026, in Bologna, more than 200 students and Junior Entrepreneurs from various Italian universities will meet, thanks to the support of Confindustria Assoconsult, consultancy companies, managers, institutions and representatives of the Public Administration in two days dedicated to orientation, networking and professional comparison. An opportunity also to rethink recruiting and orientation in the consulting world.

The event is co-organised by JE Italy - the national confederation representing Italian Junior Enterprises, non-profit associations managed entirely by university students who operate as real consultancy companies through real projects for companies and organisations - and by Assoconsult, the Confindustria association representing the main consultancy companies active in Italia and promoting dialogue between companies, institutions and the new generations on the issues of innovation, work and the transformation of the sector. The initiative, sponsored by the National Youth Council, the Emilia-Romagna Region and Federmanager, was set up with the aim of fostering a concrete dialogue between companies and the new generations.

Every year, the consultancy sector registers between 10,000 and 15,000 new recruits, and around 70 per cent of admissions concern young people just out of university. In this context, Next JEn Consulting is not a simple career fair, but a space where students and professionals can discuss concrete cases, sector dynamics and job transformations, going beyond the logic of the online application. During the two days there will be company workshops, round tables on the future of the sector, networking moments, company fairs and live podcasts, with the involvement of 11 consulting companies and numerous institutional stakeholders. The aim is not simply to tell young people about the sector, but to allow them to experience it up close, understanding its dynamics, rhythms and opportunities through direct contact with those who work in consultancy on a daily basis.

"More than just a university event, Next JEn Consulting therefore aims to be a space for observation and dialogue on the future of work and the evolution of the relationship between new generations and companies," said Samuele Le Pera, Assoconsult Young Team Coordinator. "In a context in which Gen Z is looking less and less for standardised paths and more and more for professional experiences based on growth, impact and authenticity, creating opportunities for direct encounters becomes increasingly strategic also for companies," added Sveva Ramundo, Head of Public Affairs at JE Italy. "The future of consultancy today also passes from here: from the ability to create concrete connections between those who are looking for a job and those who will have the task of leading it tomorrow". These are the summary words of Luigi Riva, President of Assoconsult.