Italy – 18 young migrants in the Salesians course to become mechanics: "A great opportunity"

18 April 2024
Photo ©: Genova 24

(ANS – Genoa) – The new course for motor vehicle repair mechanics began on the afternoon of Wednesday 17 April, at the headquarters of the Salesian Vocational Training Centre in Genoa, in the presence of the Prefect of Genoa, Cinzia Torraco. A 500-hour training course, divided equally between classrooms/workshops and internships in companies, aimed at certifying some important skills with a view to work, social and cultural integration; the course, thanks to the funds of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, will allow 18 members, all under 25 from the sub-Saharan area and currently housed in the facilities managed by the Genoese White Cross, to learn the basic knowledge for repairs on motor vehicle thermal engines, the starting point for the future qualification of "operator for the repair of motor vehicles".

Walter Carrubba, president of the Genoese White Cross, said: "I think it is an excellent experience for these young people, both in terms of training and for their future work, and I am sure we will be able to repeat it several times. We thank the National Salesian Works Centre – Professional Refresher Training, the ‘Genoa Solidale’ committee and all those who have committed themselves to getting this project off the ground. We also thank the Prefect, who together with the Deputy Prefect, Stefano Piccolo, wanted to honour us with their presence".

"Since 1800, from the time of Don Bosco onwards, the priority and objective we set ourselves is to fully train our young people, from an intellectual, professional and human point of view" said Fr Maurizio Lollobrigida, head of the course. With young people from other countries and who must be inserted and integrated into the social fabric, the best form is work, which restores dignity and gives them the opportunity to emancipate themselves and fit into a social context that, among other things, requires a large number of workers. We are ready to put ourselves at the service of companies, in network with institutions, for a first step towards a future perspective for vocational training, reception and integration. We will try to continue on this path that we have undertaken with the Genoese White Cross, with Genoa Solidale and thanks to the support of the Prefecture of Genoa and the Liguria Region. Vocational training can be put at the service of a network of companies to bring in workers who are also humanly trained: I believe that this educational project can bring about a re-emergence from something that is sometimes unknown or unseen but that exists, and that allows us to envisage a new geographical and cultural reality."

The Prefect of Genoa, addressing the students, stressed that "you have to be very careful and committed because what you are given at the end of this course is a great opportunity that can also lead to a job opportunity. I recommend maximum commitment, I wish you my best wishes for a good course and I hope you can put it to good use."

Luca Bonfiglio of "Genova Solidale" also expressed satisfaction: "Today the first mechatronics course starts, it is the first step to try to bring young people, after Italian class, or the first point of arrival for the knowledge of the language, to have the first vocational training course. Other courses will follow to ensure that the young people, almost all guests of the Genoese Extraordinary Reception Centres, can take a further step towards training and integration. In direct contact with ‘OpenJob’ we started the possibility of introducing workers in direct administration in companies to make these young people work immediately, provided of course that they are in compliance with the documents."

Source: Genova24

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