Initial scene, Sesto San Giovanni, more or less a year ago: a large company explains to the director of a large ITS (higher technical institute) its needs for young people with mechatronic skills. Final scene, Vimodrone, more or less ten days ago: solemn and festive delivery ceremony of 18 letters of employment for the same number of graduates as an industrial or marine mechatronics technician – two of the most sought after profiles on the job market and difficult to find – at ITS Lombardia mechatronics. A happy ending, therefore, for an operation of close collaboration between school and business.
The company is called Tesya, that is, an international group, made up of 25 companies distributed in 15 countries, which offers construction and logistics services (but saying that is very simplistic). And the operation of cultivating a nursery of new technicians is part of the StartTech training program, promoted by the Tesya Group, in collaboration with the network of Salesian Works in Europe and Gi Group and launched in other European countries but which debuts precisely within the perimeter of ‘Its of the Salesians of Sesto San Giovanni. «Starting from learning production processes, diagnostic methods and tools, maintenance software 4.0, the students acquired various skills, such as technologies and techniques for installing and maintaining mechanical, electrical and electronic systems, up to to the basics of integrated automation”, explains Andrea Camera, human resources director of the Tesya group.
In the background of this operation there is a problem: the mismatch, the failure to meet supply and demand, that is, the disease of the labor market in recent years, which concerns practically all economic sectors, from catering to cybersecurity, from precision mechanics to trade. One example among many: Elfor of Desio, a rapidly growing company that distributes “green energy products”, from photovoltaic panels to electric vehicle charging stations, has been pursuing young graduates in electronics and electrical engineering to be brought on board as commercial technicians.
The story resembles that of many other companies: either unsuitable profiles arise or young people move away for reasons linked to personal choices regarding the quality of life. This is reality and it is no longer news. And in fact, a study by the CGIL of Milan (based on data from the Metropolitan City’s Labor Market Observatory) reveals that the duration of permanent contracts is shortening to the point of making them little different from fixed-term contracts. And from Api (Association of Small and Medium-sized Industries) to Confindustria Lombardia, the scenario is only confirmed: companies report difficulties in finding personnel. And the most difficult skills to match are precisely the technical ones. All that remains is to appeal to San Giovanni Bosco and his heirs.
