How important do you consider the experience gained by an apprentice during the four years to be in the search for a job once they have finished their studies?
The practical experience gained during an apprenticeship is crucial as it is a skill in high demand in modern society. In fact, once the dual pathway has been completed, the young person is able to easily join a company that needs a qualified person ready to start a career immediately.
Moreover, during their training, young people acquire, in addition to professional experience, various types of other skills and values useful for the job search after their studies. Once they understand and adapt these values, they can then further develop the foundations they have gained to pursue their careers.
We always recommend continuing your education with further education or higher qualifications so that you are always up-to-date with what the economy requires and thus always in step with the world of work.
(Shayda Askari – Guidance counsellor and head of the Office for School and Vocational Guidance)
A September full of news
For more than eight years now, 4IT Solutions has been one of the authorised training companies to train apprentices in IT and commerce in the canton of Ticino, and each year contributes to writing the history of apprentices. From the first of September, in fact, 4IT welcomes two students from the CPT Locarno who will begin their four-year journey between school and work, putting into practice what they have learnt in the classroom and delving into the various topics with the help and expert guidance of the technical team.
How do you see the role of the training company in the personal and professional development of an apprentice?
Undoubtedly, the role of training companies is crucial because they have the task not only of providing the basic professional skills, but also of accompanying the young person in his or her personal growth to enable him or her to improve his or her social skills. Think for example of general organisation, problem solving, meeting deliveries or being on time, these are all transferable skills that are very useful for personal life.
(Shayda Askari – Guidance counsellor and head of the Office for Educational and Vocational Guidance)
The role of the training company between teaching and learning
The adventure continues for Gianluca Palumbo and Pedro Fernandes Cardoso, who will live the company for a few more years, learning the business and supporting the team and customers. But while it is true that especially within the IT world technical knowledge is important, the importance of learning the values that are intrinsic to every company and useful to be able to move consciously in the working world should not be underestimated. At 4IT we teach apprentices to develop a work ethic, based on humility, respect and teamwork. As the saying goes, we never stop learning and, aware of this, we always try to listen to all new ideas and value the different perspectives of apprentices, who are very often a source of inspiration.
Technical skills but not only. Do you consider it important to teach apprentices the fundamental values in a company?
Every company according to its sector has its own values and it is important to transfer them also to the employees, i.e. the apprentices. This step is essential to allow the young person to integrate as best they can, develop their training and career path and learn how to enter the world of work, all too often one of the fundamental problems encountered once they have finished their studies.There are values that cannot be learned theoretically, but need to be within a professional context to be understood. Just think of the achievement of a common goal where each person has responsibility for a project and is a key part of a process to achieve a result. This is certainly something you learn through direct experience in the company.We always tell apprentices that you know when you start but you don’t know when you finish. One should not expect an end to one’s education because society is always evolving and demanding more and more, somehow pushing young people to always be up-to-date, competent and competitive in order to always be employable in the labour market.
(Shayda Askari – Guidance counsellor and head of the Office for Educational and Vocational Guidance)