Italian Region of Abruzzo Launches Training Programs for Migrants to Address Labor Shortages

Key Takeaways

1. The Italian region of Abruzzo has initiated training programs for migrants aiming to work in the restaurant industry to address labor shortages.
2. Courses are being offered to migrants aged 20 to 38.
3. Participants can earn a regional diploma, qualifying them to work in restaurants, bars, and catering businesses.

To address labor shortages in various sectors, Abruzzo has started training programs for migrants interested in the restaurant industry. This initiative is a collaboration between the retailers' confederation Confesercenti, the training agency Cescot Abruzzo, and the community 'Figlie dell’amore di Gesù e Maria.'

According to Info Migrants, ten participants from Benin, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, the Ivory Coast, and Mali, aged 20 to 38, are currently attending the course in Manoppello Scalo, near Pescara. Completing the course will earn them a regional diploma, qualifying them to work in restaurants, bars, and catering businesses.

Named HospItaly, the project aims to both welcome migrants through training for inclusion and address the staffing needs of the restaurant and food production sectors. The program is seen as a symbolic and practical solution to these issues.

The Bank of Italy has urged the authorities to secure more international workers to mitigate employment shortages. Governor Fabio Panetta highlighted the need for more foreign workers to counteract demographic decline, predicting a loss of 5.4 million working-age individuals by 2040, even with the current annual intake of 170,000 foreign workers.

Increasing employment rates to the euro area average could counterbalance demographic decline and maintain the number of employed individuals.

Over 280,000 International Workers Needed Annually Until 2050 to Address Labor Shortages

The Confartigianato Association reports that Italian companies faced significant challenges in finding workers last year, with 45.1 percent of positions, or 2,484,690 jobs, remaining unfilled. This figure reflects a 4.6 percent increase from 2022. Small businesses struggled to fill 48.1 percent of their positions, and artisan businesses reported a 55.2 percent shortfall.

The IDOS Study and Research Centre has indicated that Italy will need over 280,000 international workers annually until 2050 to manage labor shortages due to its aging population.