Italian job - work experience project to give youngsters chance of a lifetime

It may be the best offer you ever get. Honiley-based sound and lighting firm Showscape is arranging for 30 young people from the Midlands to travel to Italy on four-month work placements funded by the European Union.

They will take a short Italian course and spend four months on work experience, based in the historic city of Lanciano in the Abruzzo region of central Italy.

Organiser Phillip Carleton said the course was not just for high-fliers: “We’re really looking for somebody prepared to make a leap of faith.

“They may be in a bit of a low and may have been unemployed for a long time. They may be thinking things are going against them.

“The big benefit is broadening your horizons, opening the way to see other cultures. We are going to get people who may hardly have travelled abroad and put them in quite a difficult environment, working in a whole new culture.”

Funded by the European Union’s Leonardo scheme, the three groups of ten young people learn basic Italian and visit the area before being allocated work placements. Industries include IT, computer-aided design, architecture, environment, farming, jewellery, electricians, builders, plumbers, marketing and financial, secretarial, tourism, food, the arts and theatre.

To qualify, candidates must be aged 18 to 35, unemployed, have finished or be about to finish their education. Living expenses will be paid by the Leonardo project for lifelong learning.

Those who complete the scheme receive a certificate, but Mr Carleton said those who took part would receive far more than something to put on their CVs, adding that more than a quarter of participants from a previous group from Germany had stayed on.

He added: “This experience will last their whole life. It will open their minds, give them new skills and allow them to realise that what they have to offer is useful and showing people they can add value to the employment world.”

Anyone interested should call 484591 or email [email protected] by July 14. Click on the link on the top right for application forms.