The Strength of Artisan Know-How: Young People at the Forefront
At Vicenzaoro, a virtuous model proving that crafts speak the language of the future
Vicenza, January 18 – 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. | Vicenzaoro – Educational Hub
At a time when it is often claimed that young people are turning away from traditional crafts, the meeting “The Strength of Artisan Know-How: Young People at the Forefront” presents a concrete experience that proves the opposite. It showcases a virtuous model born from the collaboration between Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte ETS, the Francesco Degni Art High School, and Assocoral—one that in recent years has generated real opportunities for training and professional placement for young artisans.
Scheduled for Sunday, January 18, from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at Vicenzaoro, the event will offer an opportunity to learn more about the three organizations involved and their respective roles within a structured pathway that brings together schools, institutions, and businesses. This model provides young people with tools, skills, and a tangible vision of the future in the field of artistic craftsmanship.
During the meeting, particular focus will be given to the call promoted by Fondazione Cologni, “A School, a Job. Paths of Excellence”, an initiative that for years has supported young people’s training by guiding them directly and professionally into the world of work through hands-on experiences within companies. This model bridges the gap between education and profession, fostering a real transfer of skills and knowledge.
Offering first-hand testimony of the value of this opportunity will be Aurora Vernassi, one of the winners of the latest edition of the call, who has recently completed a significant training experience in Milan. She will share her personal journey and explain the impact this project has had on her professional and personal growth.
The project demonstrates how the meeting point between school education, manufacturing excellence, and career orientation can evolve into a virtuous supply chain—one capable of enhancing talent and strengthening the transmission of traditional knowledge, particularly in the coral and cameo sectors, which are emblematic expressions of Italy’s artisanal heritage.
[Quote – Benedetta Rostan, Head of the Francesco Degni Art High School]
“The Degni Institute places training and career orientation at the heart of its educational mission, guiding young people toward discovering craftsmanship as a conscious and concrete choice for their future. Through direct experiences, workshops, and hands-on activities alongside Assocoral, our students learn to understand the value of ‘know-how,’ cultivating love, passion, and care for the art of engraving. We believe that passing on these skills means offering young people not only technical competencies, but also a vision: that of a living craftsmanship capable of engaging with the present and becoming a real professional opportunity.”
[Quote – Federica Cavriana, Training and Orientation Project Manager, Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte]
“Providing young people with adequate training opportunities is the only way to ensure a future for our high artistic craftsmanship. For over 15 years, Fondazione Cologni has been actively committed to this goal, enabling talented young people to pursue their passions and, after school, to learn directly in artisan workshops the skills that will one day make them masters in their field. This commitment is yielding the desired results thanks to the essential collaboration with schools such as the Degni Institute—an educational excellence in Torre del Greco—and with master artisans and forward-looking companies, such as those from Torre del Greco associated with Assocoral, who are willing to ensure the necessary transmission of knowledge and to invest in a new generation of artisans.”
[Quote – Vincenzo Aucella, President of Assocoral / Consorzio Corallo e Cammeo Torrese]
“As an association, we have always worked to reduce as much as possible the distance between education and the artisan workshop, maintaining a close relationship with the Francesco Degni Art High School. It is also thanks to projects such as those promoted by Fondazione Cologni that today we are able to achieve concrete results. Aurora is the third student from the Institute to win the ‘A School, a Job’ call: in just a few weeks she will begin her journey within a real company workshop, following an initial training phase held in Milan and directly curated by the Foundation. These are the concrete actions that truly support new generations, guiding them along a growth path within an artistic craftsmanship like ours, which makes us recognizable all over the world.”
Speakers:
• Ciro Mazza, Jewelry Design Teacher – Francesco Degni Art High School
• Aurora Vernassi, winner of the “A School, a Job. Paths of Excellence” call
• Federica Cavriana, Training and Orientation Project Manager – Fondazione Cologni dei Mestieri d’Arte ETS
• Vincenzo Aucella, President of Assocoral / Consorzio Corallo e Cammeo Torrese
The meeting is part of the broader debate on the future of artistic crafts and represents a concrete example of how high-quality education, when connected to the productive world, can offer real answers to the new generations.
