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The initiative is promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale and INAIL Lazio, in collaboration wit the Confederazione Nazionale Artigiani – CNA.
Meetings at the Liceo Artistico Francesco Orioli in Viterbo were organized in collaboration with the CNA Viterbo and Civitavecchia offices.
“We are pleased to participate in this initiative that seeks to fully value the know how of craftsmen in order to provide students with job opportunities through innovative training courses. Closing the distance between schools and the working world and helping students to plan their future without loosing their local heritage are the main objectives of our association,” explains Luigia Melaragni, Secretary CNA Viterbo and Civitavecchia.
The association, which represents craftsmen and small and medium industry, was amongst the first to collaborate on the The Italian Makers project promoted by the Fondazione Mondo Digitale and Inail Lazio in collaboration with CNA Lazio.
The project involves 10 schools from 5 Italian provinces with an initial target of 400 students. Its goal is to create a local multi-sector network that can help young people who would like to become craftsmen.
In Viterbo, thanks to the care pad by the Liceo Artistico Francesco Orioli, two classes have met artisans working in the arts: Lucia Maria Arena, who owns the “Antica Legatoria Viali” bookbinding business, and Cinzia Chiulli and Daniela Lai from “Artistica,” a company specialized in ceramics. These female entrepreneurs introduced the students to artisanal work and challenged the students, inviting them to present projects for the creation of posters publicizing the bookbinding and ceramics businesses. Laboratories have been organized to identify and develop the project ideas.
“It was a positive meeting that stimulated the students to learn more about our line of business. It also was important for us as it provided us with new experiences of what others sees and understand. Moreover, this was not just a one-off initiative, but the beginning of project that will continue with discussions and apprenticeships in our shops,” explained Ms. Arena.
“We had an excellent discussion with the students who accepted our challenges and proved to be full of ideas. On the one hand, we were struck by their interest in craftsmanship, which has obviously not lost its appeal; on the other hand, their understanding of the difficulties and state of uncertainty faced by businesses today. The Italian Makers allows us to pass over our skills and allows the students to learn and develop the ability to find solutions to problems,” explain Chiulli and Lai.
The same interest and curiosity was also evident at the meeting with Carla Mattioni, the teacher coordinating the project, Ana Lain from the Fondazione Mondo Digitale, Paolo De Santis, Inail expert and Emiliano Brizi, Head of the Fiscal Business Deparment for CNA Viterbo and Civitavecchia.
The Project
The training opportunity for students includes a series of phases: school training to acquire the competences necessary to start an artisanal business, laboratories to develop competences such as creativity, problem solving, communication and networking skills and the creation of a local multi-sector network to serve as a basis for the apprenticeships and new activities. Transversal project actions include an awareness-raising campaign to revamp the appeal of manual activities. These are modern trades that must learn to use technology to provide solutions to local needs.
“Stimulating the ability of youth to develop their ideas and become entrepreneurs. This project has been designed to help students reach this objective,” explains Antonio Napolitano, INAIL Lazio Director.
