Students who will attend the post high school course to become an automation and mechanical systems technician at the Istituto Tecnico Marconi will have the opportunity to enrol in the Bachelor’s degree programme in Industrial Engineering (job oriented path) with 63 credit points, that is equivalent to a full academic year.
This is the result of the agreement that was signed last 20 May in Rovereto by the Rector of the University of Trento, Paolo Collini, and the director of the Istituto Tecnico Tecnologico “G. Marconi”, Laura Zoller.
The agreement is part of the initiatives aimed at consolidating the link between secondary education and higher education and training. This is a particularly important matter, as is work-linked training, for which all local public institutions, that were present at the signing of the agreement, have worked very hard.
Among the supporters of the agreement are Sara Ferrari, member of the Provincial Council for University and scientific research, Livia Ferrario, head of the Knowledge department, and Roberto Busato, director of Confindustria Trento, the employers’ association.
Higher education, the business world and the university are all involved in a sector agreement to provide a valuable programme of higher vocational training. The purpose of the course is to create specialists that can work in the five areas of automation: mechanics, electric systems, electronics, pneumatics and information technology. These specialists will have an adequate professional profile to respond to the local industry’s needs and its social and economic system, to anticipate the change in production systems.
The agreement opens new perspectives for the students of the Istituto Tecnico Marconi. In fact, they will be able to continue their studies and obtain a Bachelor’s degree with only two more years of study.
«The integration of higher vocational education and academic education, the result of a two-year collaboration with the University of Trento, is a strategic achievement in the local and national educational landscape, and implements recent legislation (“Buona Scuola”) on the recognition of credits upon completion of higher education programmes in Istituti Tecnici Superiori (Italian technical high schools)» commented Laura Zoller, director of the course. «This agreement is an acknowledgement of the quality of our higher vocational training course, which is now in its tenth edition, and confirms the strong link between the school and business. The collaboration with the University strengthens and improves the quality of the course and will definitely contribute to the innovation of the manufacturing industry in Trentino».
Rector Paolo Collini expressed his satisfaction for the agreement: «Today we are signing an important agreement, which opens new perspectives in a sector that has been largely unexplored so far in Italy, that of tertiary training. This is a first step forward on a crucial path for the development of our country, where the number of people with higher education qualifications is still below the average of developed countries and this is due, among other aspects, to the low impact of tertiary technical education at national level, which is better abroad. The business know this very well”.
On today’s agreement: «There are three aspects of novelty in this partnership: first of all, the attractiveness of the course and of the University will increase in general. The recognition of training in terms of university credits will make students feel more secure as concerns the continuation of studies after high school, and will prevent them from making bad choices. Secondly, it brings innovation in teaching techniques and, in a way, breaks a taboo on training: it is not always true that theory must come before technical in-depth studies. Technical education is per se a way of thinking, a way of interpreting the world and to tackle problems, therefore it is possible to receive this type of training and to learn the theory at a later stage. Finally, this course offers the university and the vocational training universe the opportunity to work together in a successful collaboration. This does not simply mean to be on the same page, but rather to share skills and competencies».
«We believe that higher vocational training is a strategic factor for the growth and competitiveness of the local industry - says Roberto Busato, director of Confindustria Trento. It will help develop highly skilled specialists with a significant scientific and technical background capable of working in a highly technical sector to respond to the needs of local companies. This opportunity is a successful example of the methodology of work-linked training. And the connection with the university is another step forward that enhances its aims and possible outcomes”.
The vice president of the Autonomous Province of Trento and member of the Provincial Council for economic development and employment, Alessandro Olivi, participated in the event: «The Istituto Marconi has always been one step ahead, with a sense of responsibility, in creating points of contact with local business and institutions. The Province has worked to channel all this energy into a positive model. It is the time to work together. We need skilled and talented people because mechatronics starts here, from you, from your school», he said to the students. «Our region must be ready for innovation and establish relations with the business world in order to keep up with competition and to profit from its autonomous status. We must work ahead of time and anticipate tomorrow's scenarios in the context of this global challenge. It is therefore essential to invest in the knowledge sector, in appropriate guidance and training opportunities and in support to companies for their competitive reorganisation. All this is crucial, but we are in a good position because we can take advantage of the good practices acquired locally in our region, like the ones in place here in Rovereto».
Sara Ferrari, member of the Provincial Council for University and scientific research, could not attend because of previous commitments, but sent a note to express her appreciation for the initiative. «This agreement – reads the note to the Istituto Marconi – unequivocally acknowledges the high quality of the post high school course offered at the Istituto Marconi together with the University of Trento. This programme brings students closer to the labour market but also ensures university credits that they can use to enrol in a degree course at the department of Industrial engineering of the University of Trento. To create more opportunities for young people and to strengthen the manufacturing sector in Trentino it is essential to encourage teamwork among educational institutions and the business network.
Daniela Carlini, head of the Knowledge department of the Autonomous Province of Trento (Division for Higher education and training and University), underlined the cutting edge role of this initiative: «In Trentino we started off in 2006, well ahead of the other Italian regions. We were able to achieve this important goal thanks to the fruitful collaboration with employers’ associations, that pointed out a lack of skilled specialists. In a way, we are pioneers with an important responsibility: to further improve the industrial sector».
In conclusion, director Zoller thanked in particular Daria de Pretis and Paolo Collini, respectively former and current Rector of the University, and Claudio Migliaresi and Dario Petri, former and current head of the Department of Industrial Engineering. She also expressed her gratitude to all those who believed in the project, and in particular to two people for their dedicated commitment: professors Claudia Calliari and Daniele Bortoluzzi.