CO.ME.CA. S.p.A. is one of the companies that are signatories of the project for Professional Training Apprenticeships that has been established thanks to the arrangement between Gruppo Feralpi, the Province of Brescia, Lonato Town Council, the Provincial Schools Office, Azienda Speciale G. Zanardelli training company, Itis Cerebotani in Lonato, ISFOR 2000 and is sponsored by the Council of Calvisano and the Region of Lombardy.  

The programme for school-work training, which allows young school-leavers to be trained over a two year period in the company and in the classroom, is aimed at producing highly skilled personnel, something that is always more difficult to find. On the basis of the forecasted needs of the “Gruppo Feralpi”, quantified in a total of 80 technicians to be trained over a period of four years, 20 school leaving technicians will be recruited each year between 2007 to 2010. They will be recruited with Professional Training Apprenticeships that last 24 months, the same as the training course in the Study Plan.

 

This educational/training programme gives those that are chosen the opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills that are needed to find long-lasting and qualified placement in the world of work, with particular reference to the mechanical-engineering and electrotechnical-electronic sectors. The candidates are employed as apprentices and benefit from contractual conditions, starting at the 3^rd level of the National Labour Contract for Engineers, moving to the 4^th and 5^th level, respectively, after the first and second years. Pay is also in line with the pay of the same level of employees in the Group, offering motivation for those who find themselves having to choose between the various professional possibilities. This means that the youngsters undertake an alternative route to university study, by continuing to study and immediately putting into practice what they learn, while earning a decent wage.

 

Another factor that has also prompted great interest is the quality of training: during the contractual period, in actual fact, the apprentices are involved in on the job activities with the assistance of company tutors who are supervised and managed by the experts of the Gruppo Feralpi, external professionals, university professors and professors from technical-professional institutes. The youngsters will also attend a course to learn general and technical English. At the end of this period, when they have passed their exams, they will be officially recognised by the Region of Lombardy and awarded the title of Senior Technician. The participants will be guaranteed permanent employment.