Successfully completed the second cycle of the mentoring program “First Step into the Business World”

In the period from September to December 2025, the second cycle of the mentoring program “First Step into the Business World” was successfully completed. The program resulted in 13 young people who are ready for the job market and their first business challenges. During the previous four months, our scholarship holders had the opportunity to work directly with experts from different fields through mentoring that was not designed as a usual student internship. The participants had the chance to develop skills necessary for the job market through work in a real business environment, with special focus on critical thinking and creativity, two components of success that are often left out of the formal education system.

The exceptional dedication of our scholarship holders and their mentors is best shown by the fact that in this cycle, more than 740 hours of mentoring work were achieved, which greatly exceeded the initial plan of 312 hours. These numbers show the incredible desire of our scholarship holders for learning and professional growth, but also the strong will and commitment of mentors to selflessly share their knowledge and skills with younger generations.

The participants gained valuable practical experience and insight into business processes through engagement in some of the most successful companies in their sectors, operating within the ASA Group, such as ASA Hospital, ASA Bank, ASA Energy, ASA Holding, ASA Finance, as well as Prevent Group companies such as Prevent Holding and Prevent Travnik. Additional value to the program was given by alumni of the Hastor Foundation who supported the organisation of activities, enabling some of the students to have mentorship within the education sector.

The right to participate in this program was given to scholarship holders in the final years of undergraduate and master’s studies who stand out for their academic success, dedication to volunteer engagement within the Hastor Foundation, and desire to gain new valuable experiences. After successfully completing the program, participants received certificates of completion, while mentors received letters of appreciation for their dedicated mentorship. The Hastor Foundation firmly stands behind continuous support of all its members, with a clear goal to expand this project in the coming years and include an even larger number of graduates and master students.