New plants? The Region pays for the training

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If the mountain does not go to Mohammed, inventiveness and strategies can guarantee alternative solutions.

The Department of Economic Development of the Lombardy Region is trying to cut the distance between companies and the need for adequately trained technical profiles, which are so untraceable: those companies that decide to change machinery, adapt production plants or invest in technology will be given the opportunity to take advantage of free vouchers for the formation of value up to 12 thousand euros, which can be used by employees, by member-workers, by the owners themselves but also by self-employed workers and freelancers. «It is an absolute novelty that meets one of the major needs that businesses have – explained Guido Guidesi, councilor for economic development of Lombardy -. With this tool we give entrepreneurs and workers the possibility of being able to take advantage of a training offer closely linked to the investment made by the company itself”.

The match, which sees a budget of 22 million, is in its first steps and will be operational in the coming months. In the meantime, since last April 3 the invitation to the presentation of training packages has been open, precisely for building a regional catalog of skills: in essence, universities, ITS foundations and accredited operators will be able to advance a course hypothesis until June 15, which if it is selected, it will be made available to the companies benefiting from contributions for the industrial transition and the sustainability of companies financed by the European funds of the ERDF 2021-2027 regional programme.

The maximum value of the voucher per worker will be 4 thousand euros per year, the company will be able to use up to three; the duration of the course will vary from 60 to 80 hours, depending on the chosen specialization. All with the aim of creating new skills and professional profiles capable of responding to the needs of companies in the context of the transition towards more innovative and sustainable industrial models.

“In doing so, companies have concrete support throughout the development process – added Guidesi -. A specific training voucher to bring the maximum production capacity of the new plant to ground as quickly as possible». With a view to supporting production realities, an investment package amounting to 210 million was presented yesterday at Palazzo Lombardia. The intervention is divided into three lines. The first line, with a budget of 115 million euros, is intended for SMEs and mid-cap companies and aims to facilitate the activation of investments aimed at business development, to strengthen production and organizational flexibility ; the second line will favor the activation of investments dedicated to the energy efficiency of production plants to reduce the environmental impact; in this case the resources made available to companies amount to 65 million euro; the third line of the package has the objective of attracting new investments in Lombardy, as well as consolidating and developing existing ones.