Masters of the Sea

Fincantieri upholds the highest standards in the shipbuilding industry and firmly believes in the potentiality of paid training programmes and harnessing talent in Italian manufacturing. Moving beyond the notion of “manpower”, it has developed a concept based on “brain power” that has the scope to reconnect Italians with manufacturing, skilled manual work, new technologies and exceptionally high standards. To this end, the Group has launched a project to give a concrete response to the shortage of skilled workers.

Participants in the “Masters of the Sea” programme learn trades that create value, so that they can join the workforce involved in the construction of large Italian ships. The initiative helps them to grow, so it represents a significant investment in technical skills, based on a strategic vision of the market and civic consciousness, for both Fincantieri and Italy as a whole.

“Masters of the Sea” uses extremely innovative human resource development tools that provide the perfect response to the chronic shortage of skilled workers in the shipbuilding industry. They include a training allowance of €1,000 a month, substantial investments in digital skills, residential courses to develop organizational and interpersonal skills, direct hiring by Fincantieri before the training is even completed, and relocation packages for people moving from other regions to start their new jobs.

The programme got off to the best possible start, with more than 17,000 applications. The thorough, structured selection process involves psychometric and aptitude tests, telephone interviews, technical assessments, group assessments and individual interviews. In 2024, the programme has already seen 90 skilled workers being hired in shipyards in the North, Centre and South of Italy. The success has encouraged us to make further investments in the project.

The “Masters of the Sea” initiative was developed as part of the “Distretto Italia” professional training and job placement programme run by the ELIS consortium (which is dedicated to Education, Employment, Training and Sport).

“People are the driving force behind Fincantieri,” explained Pierroberto Folgiero, the CEO of Fincantieri. “Our employees hold the key to a future based on sustainable development. If we want to remain a leading player in the high added-value shipbuilding business, it’s essential to give young people the chance to play their part. They’ll be the ones pushing forward the major changes that pave the way to a cleaner, smarter industry. Thanks to initiatives like Masters of the Sea, we bring them on board and give them the opportunity to show what they can do.”