New opportunities and professional skills in the shipbuilding and yachting sectors; training needs and development policies for the maritime economy. Those were the issues discussed today in AREA Science Park at the symposium entitled  "Structural measures and policies for the outlining of new maritime career paths and professional skills", an international gathering dedicated to yachting and shipbuilding.

The event, organised in collaboration with the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) and DITENAVE, the Technological Naval And Nautical District in FVG, as part of the European Commission's "Maritime Day 2010" initiative, was an opportunity for discussion and exchange of ideas between the sector's principal European stakeholders.

The round table debate, moderated by Massimo Bernardo, vice-president of the International Propeller Clubs, included discussion on new career paths and professional skills in the Shipbuilding and Yachting sectors in Europe. The participants were: Carlo Giordani, Fincantieri Spa; Nick Granger, European SMRC Group (Ship Maintenance, Repair and Conversion); Fabrizio Iarrera, Monte Carlo Yachts Spa / Beneteau Group; Japec Jakopin, Seaway Technologies Srl‎; Lidia Luca, CESA (Community of European Shipyards' Associations). In addition, the European Commission officer Giorgio Gallizioli, Adviser for social matters and simplification (DG MARE), presented a discussion on EU strategies in the framework of the Integrated Maritime Policy

The day also saw the participation of Alessia Rosolen, the Regional Councillor for Labour, University and Research, with responsibilities for equal opportunities and youth policies in the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia. She presented on the regional development policies for the Maritime Economy sector and the Technological Naval And Nautical District of FVG. The symposium was also the ideal opportunity for the presentation of progettoMare Friuli Venezia Giulia, the regional training cluster for the development of maritime economy.

progettoMare Friuli Venezia Giulia

progettoMare Friuli Venezia Giulia was set up with the goal of promoting and delivering training activities within the various sectors related to the maritime economy based on training and employment needs and the region's requirements for innovation.

his is because, over the last decade, the maritime economy sector has undergone a major transformation at a global level in terms of both production and marketing strategies. Within this scenario it became clear that there was a need to set up specific training activities for the workforce employed in the sector, a need that is being addressed specifically by progettoMare Friuli Venezia Giulia.

The initiative, strongly supported by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, has been implemented under the auspices of the European Social Fund - Operational Programme Objective 2 - Regional Competitiveness and Employment - 2007/2013 - Priority Axis 4 - Human Capital.

It will run for three years and will have a budget of about 1.6 million euros for the first year alone. progettoMare will involve a large number of areas: from shipbuilding to yachting, from pleasure boating to the merchant navy, from fishing to naval outfitting. Various types of training activities will be offered, ranging from the basic to the specialist, and from individual to classroom based teaching . The first courses will begin in September and October.

"The real challenge for the Cluster for the Development of Maritime Economy, called on to intervene in the broadest sense in a variety of economic/production environments, is to identify new trends, implement an ongoing process for knowledge generation, and share and disseminate experience through new working methods, new rules and new operating standards," stated Paola Stuparich, director of ENAIP FVG.

"The project partners are being invited to plan and coordinate the provision of training in connection with the maritime economy sector.  An important challenge that requires dedication, time and skill, an ongoing commitment for which ENAIP FVG is the spokesman, having decided to work for the development, the growth, the cultural enrichment and the improvement of the quality of life of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region and its people."

One of the primary objectives of the project is to identify and interpret the needs and requirements of the sector through the creation of a permanent observatory on the maritime world that will carry out research, analysis and monitoring of training and innovation requirements and on the possible opportunities for technology transfer. AREA Science Park will coordinate these activities.

"Thanks to the support of other partners, sector associations, universities and research bodies," explains Marta Formia, director of Training Services at AREA Science Park, "we are collecting up-to-date information on the training needs of the sector, and also on the skills involved, the employment dynamics and the structural characteristics of the sector. This information will help in the creation of training courses capable of responding effectively to the demands of the region."

The partners of progettoMare Friuli Venezia Giulia, training bodies, regional universities, regional and national research centres, sector associations and higher educational institutes, are:

ENAIP Friuli Venezia Giulia - lead partner (Ente Nazionale ACLI Professional Training - ACLI National Agency of Vocational Training); ARSAP (Associazione Regionale per lo Sviluppo dell'Apprendimento Professionale - Regional Association for the Development of Professional Learning); CETENA S.p.A. (Centro per gli Studi di Tecnica Navale - The Italian Ship Research Centre); CNA (Confederazione Nazionale dell'Artigianato e della Piccola e Media Impresa - National Confederation of Craftsmen and SMEs);

Confartigianato Imprese Friuli Venezia Giulia (Federazione Regionale Artigiani Piccole e Medie Imprese del Friuli Venezia Giulia - Regional Federation of Craftsmen and SMEs in Friuli Venezia Giulia); Consorzio per l'AREA di ricerca scientifica e tecnologica di Trieste (Trieste AREA Science Park Consortium); Comitato Regionale dell'ENFAP del Friuli Venezia Giulia (Ente Nazionale per la Formazione e per l'Addestramento Professionale - National Body for Training and Professional Instruction);

Federazione Regionale delle Piccole e Medie Industrie del FVG (Regional Federation of Small and Medium Industries in FVG); Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani S.p.A. (shipbuilding company); I.A.L. Friuli Venezia Giulia (Istituto per l'Addestramento professionale dei Lavoratori - Institute for the Professional Training of Workers); I.P.I. Artigianato Ipsia Monfalcone (Institute for Industrial Promotion); I.R.E.S. (Istituto di Ricerche Economiche e Sociali del Friuli Venezia Giulia - Institute for Economic and Social Research in Friuli Venezia Giulia); Istituto di Cultura Marittima e Portuale di Trieste (Institute of Maritime and Port Culture of Trieste);

"Alessandro Volta" Istituto Tecnico Industriale (Technical College); "Arturo Malignani" Istituto Tecnico Industriale (Technical College); RINA S.p.A. (Registro Italiano Navale - Italian Maritime Register); SISSA (Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati - International School for Advanced Studies); Università degli Studi di Trieste (University of Trieste); Università degli Studi di Udine (University of Udine).