Promotion and development of the territory and internationalization of companies to “export Sicily, remaining in Sicily”

These topics are very important to go straight with the aims of the 2019 Summer Internship Camp. They are part of a meeting on the theme “Promotion, development of the territory and internationalization of enterprises through the STSicily Camp Internships as well. Kick off Day Internship Camp III Edition” was the title of the Camp, which took place in the multimedia hall of the old slaughterhouse in Via del Mare in Balestrate. The Councilor for Productive Activities of the Municipality of Balestrate Salvatore Ferrara, the Councilor Stefano Alessandra, in delegation of the municipal administration of Alcamo. For the University of Palermo was prof. Stefano De Cantis of the Department of Business Economics and Statistics. Massimo Plescia, engineer and president of Aidp Sicilia (Italian Association for Personnel Management), intervened for the companies and associations involved. The local associations were represented by Rosaria Petruso, president of the Balestrate tourist association. Vincenza Mione, head of Institute “G. Caruso ” in Alcamo.

The event, moderated by journalist Salvatore Ferro, took place in English, in favour of foreign students and teachers.

The objectives of the project. Creating interaction between Sicily and Europe, between the companies of the Island and students of foreign schools and universities, engaged in seasonal internships in companies present in western Sicily. The result? A growth of brands in international terms, the creation of new commercial channels, the promotion of the territory in its tourist and cultural potential. A model, which in summary, from the Gulf of Castellammare can be exported throughout the region.

Piero Tuzzo, director of business development STSicily group, a subsidiary of Confindustria: “Thanks to partnerships and synergies with local companies, with Sicindustria, with the University of Palermo, the Management Engineering Department from which I come, we continue to pursue our great vision, that is the promotion and development of the territory and of our excellences abroad, while remaining in Sicily. We want our land to return to assume a central, dominant and fulcrum role and that students coming from abroad are the leverincentive and the catapult for the Island. We want to create jobs and connections between peoples and between companies “.

Altogether 60 students have been admitted, against 300 internship requests, coming from the most prestigious European universities and “business schools”, all of different nationalities. They are French, Chinese, Russian, German, Indian.

There are 15 partner companies of the initiative, companies that, among others, operate in the field of consultancy, agro-wine production, associations, tourism, real estate, design, training and startups. They have joined the Internship camp, in the winter and summer editions, AssociazioneTuristica, ABC Strategie, Adragna Pet food, Centro Studi Formazione, Case del Golfo, Remax Investment, Hotel Marina Holiday, Immobiliare Curcurù, Homiday.it, Puleo wine manufacturing, Coolumbus, MyOp , Marina di Balestrate (Porto management), EmmaBride.it, STSicily.it.

Many schools and universities have already joined the initiative, among them there are: Skema Business School, Sup De Vente, Lycée Alfred Mézières, Aix Marseille, Lycée Monfort, ISCT Toulouse, La Pleiade, Schuman High School, Lycée A. Schweitzer, La Providence , Lycée Notre Dame de Boulogne, Lycée Notre Dame Du Grand Camp, Lycée Perrier, Lycée Édouard Ghent.

Agreements with other schools and universities in Moscow, China, Germany, Sweden and Spain are being finalized.

The Internship camp brand has become a registered patent, the developed work methodology is the basis of the success of the initiative which has seen a significant increase in requests for participation by students and companies.

We started with 4 students and a partner company in 2016, 16 students and 5 companies in 2017, 31 students and 9 companies in 2018, 60 students (75 if we consider the internship camp winter, recently concluded) and 15 companies in 2019.

“The requests are growing – explained Piero Tuzzo – we expect to reach 200 students and 60 companies within a year, 600 students within the next four years”.

The role of politics will also be decisive. In this regard, the mayor of Balestrate Vito Rizzo: “The synergy between companies, especially those related to tourism, educational agencies and institutions is fundamental for the growth of the territory. These “worlds” must be brought into dialogue, since it is a common need to create shared strategies and ways.We need to provide more and more efficient services, if we want to be competitive on the market, and internationalization and open-minded initiatives like the one carried out by Internship Camp are 100% sustained. Balestrate and the entire district support and will continue to support even more ambitious projects like this ».

STSicily, stsicily.it, was also selected on Linkedin, from over 64 thousand followers, by the influencer Natalia Wiechowski to participate in an event in Spain, the Digital Enterprise Show, which will take place in late May in Madrid.