Fincantieri warning: we need marine engineers

Genoa - “We have work for the next five years and beyond. Our company is sound, we are a role model for perfect health. But we risk a shortage of marine engineers in the future because the three Italian [university] faculties for Naval Engineering, Genoa, Naples and Trieste, have a shortage of teachers.” The shot was fired by Fincantieri CEO, Giuseppe Bono, from the side-lines of the Lucchetta journalism prize event in Trieste, the strike hit its mark but did not sink the dean of the University of Genoa, Paolo Comanducci. He promptly replied: “Even companies can do their part to increase the number of teachers. I know that courses can be financed by the private sector, as is the case at La Spezia with Carispezia. If Fincantieri wants to be a part of it, we are here.” In fact, the University Administration Board in its last meeting, authorized an extraordinary measure to hire two marine engineering researchers who, in the future, could become associate professors. “They are so-called type B researchers,” explains Comanducci, “taken as per a special plan of the Ministry. We decided to carry out a strategic operation and assigned them to the Genoa and La Spezia centres. Actually, we are no longer at risk of closure.”

“The same Board of Directors has determined the entrance of the University in the Fondazione Promo Studi that operates the La Spezia centre,” says the dean, “and these are only the first steps taken on the issue of Naval Engineering.” In recent weeks, Carispezia had attacked its own university on the shortage of teachers. “By June, the University of Genoa will have to clarify the financial commitment for Polo Marconi,” said the president of the Carispezia Foundation, Matteo Melley. The answer came, in fact, at the last meeting of the University Board of Directors. The situation at the two centres (Naval Engineering in Genoa and Nautical Engineering at La Spezia) was dramatic: 13 professors for more than 1000 enrolled students, because of the freeze on hiring. “At the moment, we are able to cover the needs,” adds Comanducci, “because the courses not only cover nautical or naval engineering but, of course, there are also courses on mechanics, mathematics, and physics. It is also true that if we could bring the number of faculty members closer to 20, as I said with external capital, it would be possible to improve the offer, specifically for the marine industry.” Few words for a good “entrepreneur”.