Calabria as a formidable attractor of resources, talents and innovative projects. The first edition of “Work Calls. The Calabria of opportunities” closes with an important assessment of content and participation, the initiative organized by the Department of Work, Enterprises and Productive Areas of the Calabria Region, as part of the Operation of Strategic Importance called “Territories in Action” and financed with European funds PR 21-27, which for three days transformed the “Giovanni Colosimo” exhibition center in Catanzaro into a contemporary agora of meeting between citizens, institutions, businesses and the world of education, designed to celebrate an area in motion and actively projected into the future. This is demonstrated by the extraordinary numbers of this first edition, which saw the arrival of 2400 students from all over Calabria and 650 users registered for job interviews.
The final talk, entitled “Magnetic Calabria: the network of merit. Businesses, agriculture and talents to be valorised”traced the path of change carried out by the Council led by President Roberto Occhiuto. At the speakers’ table, led by Roberto Cosentino, general director of the Region’s Tourism Department, three regional councilors – Giovanni Calabrese (Labour, Economic Development and Tourism), Gianluca Gallo (Agriculture) and Marcello Minenna (Budget, Heritage, Programming of National and Community Funds) – together with the production leaders Aldo Ferrara (president of Unindustria Calabria) and Pietro Falbo (president of Unioncamere) Calabria).
“These three days – councilor Calabrese forcefully stated – is not intended to be a simple showcase or a theoretical moment, but represents the landing point of an ambitious path aimed at overturning the paradigm of employment policies in Calabria. I am profoundly proud of the very rich program that we have managed to create and, above all, of the presence and fundamental contribution of all my fellow councilors, whose participation demonstrates that the challenge of work is an absolute priority of the entire government team, capable of moving in perfect synergy. We are working to innovate the Employment Centers and to build a training chain that finally mirrors the real needs of the productive market. The objective is to put the dignity of the person back at the center, offering young people concrete answers so that they are no longer forced to abandon their homeland. In parallel with the panels, we are reaping the benefits of the programming started with Padel in February 2027.”
On the last day, the strategic agreement “Binario Calabria – Network for work and employment” was signed between the Region and the Chamber of Commerce of the Metropolitan City of Reggio Calabria, represented by the president Antonino Tramontana and the general secretary Natina Crea. The historic agreement establishes the birth of an excellent production chain that networks thirty companies in the Reggio area alongside Hitachi, an international giant in the design and construction of trains.
The third day was opened in the name of prevention with the table of the “Regional Committee for health and safety in the workplace”, coordinated by the councilor Calabrese, moderated by the sector manager Bruno Zito and introduced by greetings from the general director of the Department, Fortunato Varone. “Controls are useful but not enough, safety is at the center of our political agenda”, reiterated Calabrese. During the meeting, the Health Department official Luigi Carrozza illustrated the Committee’s inspection activities, while the sole procedural manager Giorgio Arcuri presented the details of the “Safe Enterprise” notice, the regional tender aimed at granting company contributions for the specific training of workers and risk prevention. Representatives of Unindustria, Inps, Inail, Anmil, Cisl and the president of the Third Regional Council Commission Angelo Brutto actively took part in the debate, expressing applause for the foresight of the regional structure in valorising merit.
The last three panels are of great interest. The first dedicated to the world of university with the very important contributions of the teachers who attended: for the Magna Graecia University, Alberto Scerbo (Full Professor of Philosophy of Law) and Donatella Malanga (Associate Professor of General Pathology and president of the Master’s Degree Course in Innovative Biotechnologies for Health); for Unical, Francesco Aiello (director of the “Giovanni Anania” Department of Economics, Statistics and Finance); for the Mediterranean University, Rossella Marzullo, vice-rector of Orientation. The second talk dedicated to profound reflections on legality and careers within the Law Enforcement and Armed Forces with Antonio Caliò (Digos director of the State Police), Lieutenant Greta Dell’Anna (Financial Police Group of Lamezia Terme), Major Mario Petrosino (commander of the Carabinieri Company of Catanzaro) and Lieutenant Colonel Gianluca Prestia (head of the Recruitment and Communication Office of the Military Command Calabrian Army). Infinem protection of citizens’ rights in the digital age, addressed with Antonio Carbone, head of the Consumer Help Desk office of the Calabria Region and the consumer associations that collaborate with the region.
The initiative was characterized by an extraordinary institutional synergy which saw the central and strategic presence of the Ministry of Labor and Social Policies and Work Development Italy, testifying to the strong convergence between the national guidelines and the implementation of policies in the Calabrian territory. Alongside them, the precious contribution of Assolavoro. The regional operational framework was completed with the fundamental and integrated role of Fincalabra and Arpal Calabria. A fundamental pillar was the synergy between training and territorial excellence, with the presence of the ITS Academy and start-ups.
The event concluded by already projecting itself towards future challenges. The Calabrese councilor and the general manager Varone, thanking the extraordinary team work achieved, officially closed the event by meeting the Calabrians in February 2027 for the second edition of “IL LAVORO CALLS”.