A. M. Nestlé El Salvador proudly celebrates the 10th anniversary of its Youth Initiative program, which has impacted more than 253,000 young people throughout Central America, of whom more than 18,000 are salvadoran.
This program is a fundamental pillar of Nestlé’s commitment to promoting the professional and personal growth of new generations. Through various initiatives, essential skills and competencies are developed that prepare young people to successfully face the challenges of the future workplace.
As part of this celebration and in commemoration of International Youth Day, Nestlé highlights the inspiring stories of two young Salvadoran women who have found in this program a platform for professional growth and development, leading them to occupy important positions within the company.
ADRIANA MELÉNDEZ, Replenishment coordinator at Nestlé El Salvador
“To get a job, attitude is 80% of what you need to have; everything else can be learned”.
Adriana, affectionately known as “Adri,” is an industrial engineer who graduated from Universidad Dr. José Matías Delgado. Her career at Nestlé reflects the philosophy of Creating Shared Value. From an early age, Adriana showed an interest in numbers and abstraction, challenging stereotypes in a traditionally male-dominated field. Despite the challenges, she has found satisfaction in her career.
She began her journey at Nestlé as an intern in the Youth Initiative program after participating in a job fair. With determination and enthusiasm, she overcame her fear and lack of experience, guided by her motto: “Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” At Nestlé, she discovered a culture that values attitude and potential in young people over previous experience. Her most significant lesson has been to “take the plunge” and adapt to the constant changes in the work environment.
The Nestlé Youth Initiative provides a framework of values that develops tomorrow’s leaders. For Adriana, this program has been fundamental to her professional development, providing her with tools to improve her image, self-confidence, and overall skills. Her advice to young salvadorans is to dare to take the plunge, continue learning, and remain humble on their professional journey.
Looking to the future, Adriana aspires to lead and manage teams, support new generations, and contribute to innovation at Nestlé. Her story is a testament to the positive impact of the Youth Initiative on the growth and development of young people in El Salvador.
INGRID FABIOLA MARTÍNEZ CARRANZA, trade Marketing specialist and brand manager for the Breakfast Cereals Category at Nestlé El Salvador.
“Nothing is impossible in life; everything is possible with determination, confidence, and ability”
Ingrid Martínez, 25, has a degree in Integrated Communications and Marketing Strategy. Her career took off thanks to Nestlé’s Youth Initiative program, which gave her the opportunity to train at a multinational company.
Ingrid describes herself as passionate and creative, a lover of theater, a place she visited with her mother since she was a child and where she discovered her mission in life: to impact people. In her professional career, she emphasizes that the greatest challenges lie within oneself and that self-improvement is key to success. Despite starting out in temporary jobs, her perseverance led her to be selected for the Nestlé program. In 2020, during a talk about the Youth Initiative, she was selected from among seven young people to be trained by the company. She accepted an internship in human resources, which became her best school for learning how to manage and influence people.
Today, Ingrid highlights trust, teamwork, self-management, and leadership as key lessons learned at Nestlé. She is convinced that, with the advancement of technologies and new platforms such as LinkedIn and artificial intelligence, nothing is impossible for young people seeking employment or pursuing entrepreneurial goals.
Ingrid thanks Nestlé for believing in her potential and for its commitment to developing young talent, ensuring that the company fosters an environment that nurtures growth and innovation.
For more information on Nestlé’s youth initiatives, visit www.jovenescam.nestle.com //
