IMY Virtual Mobility
A new resource of productivity
As technology continues to advance, teleworking has become more and more common in a variety of industries in the market. Indeed, the number of remote jobs has increased in every industry, given the benefits it offers to both companies and employees and, in the long run, to the environment.
According to “Working anytime, anywhere: the effects on the world of work", teleworking has several benefits, such as shortening of commuting time, greater working time autonomy, better overall work–life balance and higher productivity.
Our business culture is changing—not just in Europe, but globally and with a distant internship experience, trainees can develop their skills comfortably from home or school with a multicultural tutor and real teamwork.
An all-time solution
The Italy Mobility programme, which has been providing incoming mobility to Italy for around 18.000 work placement-learners days per year, is launching now a distance internship solution to meet the challenge of the COVID-19 and offering a real-world model solution to schools and teachers.
The virtual Italymobility applies the same principles of the Erasmus+ Virtual Exchange project, launched by the EU Commission to promote intercultural dialogue and improve the skills of young people through digital learning tools.
The job roles that can be included with the Italymobility work experience mainly refer to the ‘sharing economy’ or ‘collaborative economy’, but comprise a very large range of activities also belonging to the ‘traditional jobs’. The latter can be considered if deployed online instead of on-site and are aimed at implementing a number of tasks without any engagement at the employers’ premises.
Italy Mobility is a solution aimed at promoting the acquisition of skills needed for distance working: a new scenario which finds great interest among the digital generation
In high-tech countries with particularly strong digital societies, such as Estonia and Finland, distance working has exploded, almost completely transforming the corporate culture. The number of employees who work remotely has steadily grown in USA, in Europe and around the world, and the trend doesn’t show any signs of slowing. These flexible, agile, and decentralized workforces could one day transform not just businesses, but also cities and countries. Places like Estonia prove that flexible policies can work on a large scale. While some industries don’t lend themselves to remote working, those that do, will have to adapt to recruit and retain the best talents. Luckily, the more adaptable businesses become to a changing workforce, the bigger the talent pool they have to draw from.
Wherever it’s happening, remote-working policies across Europe have already started to reshape the way businesses operate. Armed with an abundance of messaging and video-conferencing software, distributed teams must learn how best to communicate with their distant colleagues, so new company protocols are organically emerging as teams begin to work remotely and between countries.
For instance, video calls might feel redundant for those based in the office, but they enable remote colleagues to pick up on important nonverbal cues during meetings and are an especially useful lifeline for ensuring remote workers don’t feel excluded or socially isolated. For those who speak another language, video calls are even more vital, as they aid with understanding and interpretation.
Of course, having regular in-person meetings is important, too.
In cities all across Europe, professionals are finding new ways to meet with colleagues and other remote workers, hosting meetings over lunch breaks as well as organizing weekly coworking and social events at bars and public spaces.
This way, remote working is helping shift companies away from traditional methods of doing business, flattening out hierarchies, and reframing how colleagues interact with one another, regardless of whether or not they’re in the same room.
Remote working is changing how European companies do business
Italian excellence
Italymobility offers internship positions in the most desirable Italian economic sectors, such as architecture, design, tourism, craftsmanship, Italian cuisine, fashion and design, industrial machinery, home decor, etc. all highlighting the long-lasting Italian cultural heritage. Their recognized reputation translates into the Italian excellence, which combines the ability to innovate without losing sight of tradition, and showing the highest expressions of design and industry.
With a distant internship experience, trainees can develop their skills comfortably from home or school with a multicultural tutor and a real teamwork
Italian wine Gallo nero
Distance internship becomes a real experience
Growing without losing your identity
In Alessi (a well-known Piedmont-based producer of design objects) we undertook an internationalization strategy that aims at expansion in the US and Asian markets», explains chief executive Marco Pozzo. «We want to grow, but also during this process our priority is preserving our Italian DNA. Adapting to the needs expressed by the different geographical areas doesn’t mean distorting the brand, not at all. We want Alessi to preserve its own identity, embracing approaches to the table that are different like the Asian one, but also democratizing the approach to design products. In the United States, for example, there are several of our objects that are part of the permanent collection of the MoMA in New York. But we want design objects to become an integral part of everyone’s daily life
The courage to risk
Our philosophy is clear: to maintain a strong coherence with the past, but always focussing on innovation, both technological and design», says Davide Zanolini, executive vice president for marketing and communication at Piaggio. «What distinguishes us in the world is the courage to risk a bit more than others. We were the first to present three-wheel scooters, the first to experiment with hybrids. In this, we recognize our Italian character, as well as a very strong engineering-technological vocation that is displayed to the public with elements of iconic design.
Team spirit
We are proud to represent the Italian excellence», explains Dennis de Munck, head of employer branding. «Above all, we want to focus on team spirit. Just as Ferrari is the racing team that all Italians and millions of people in the world root for, in the same way we want whoever works with us to feel they are part of a great team, whose goal is to respond to challenges with the strength of ideas and innovation. Excellence is what sets us apart, on and off the racetrack, and will continue to deliver it. For this reason, we are always on the lookout for top talent.
Welcoming diversity
To be international, we try to open ourselves to different cultures», stresses Laura Salviati, training and communication manager at Artemide, a leading company in the lighting sector. «In the world, the approach to light varies greatly from one country to another. In industrial production, however, Italian excellence must be recognized. Abroad it’s much more difficult to find industries able to support us in productive processes. In Italy, we have at our disposition know-how that succeeds in putting together craftsmanship and industry. We’re not interested in producing at the lowest possible cost, but in quality.
Local taste, global excellence
We take the best chocolate on the market and we combine it with almonds from Avola, lemons from Sorrento, Sicilian pistachios. We feature, when possible, the food specialties of our country, proposing a real Italian journey of taste. From the chocolate bar to packaging, everything must reflect our values: Italianness, quality and design.
The Italian Excellence provides a special path for professional growth: an opportunity to broaden horizons, to absorb the value of arts and culture, and to understand the importance of knowing how to manage a wonderful patrimony that brings together business and innovation with the unparalleled wealth of the Italian cultural heritage.
Italian excellence manifests itself in several sectors, starting from clothing, in all its manifestations: production of leathers, yarns, fabrics, accessories necessary to personalize and make unique tailor-made creations for both women and men.
The passion for the 'tailor-made' also embraces the car sector, where personalization has reached levels previously unthinkable. Moreover, the F& B (food & beverage) sector has also a peek of attention, especially in the production of food and drinks (pasta, pizza, ice cream, meat, cold cuts, cheese, seafood, extra virgin oil, wines, spirits, Mediterranean vegetables, and fruits, among others).
Equally important and formative is the approach to the "ancient knowledge", to the artisan skills that give shape to real gems of the Italian manufacturing tradition.
Alongside artisanal production, processes such as laser micro-processing, plastic and non-plastic molding, processing and distribution of chemical and petroleum products, production of carbon components, machinery for industry, tyres, accessories for the automotive sector, of special alloys, aluminum foil, and sheet metal are placed in support of the most diverse industrial sectors in which similar elements can be used.
Healthcare is also one of the categories of services to which the community addresses itself, as well as 'customer care', the satisfaction of his desires.
Excellence, in Italy, is a dimension of identity, almost a part of our DNA. It is an innate attitude, which often acts unconsciously and has always been expressed in an unrepeatable and unique way in the world.
The job roles that can be included with the Italymobility work experience mainly refer to the ‘sharing economy’ or ‘collaborative economy’, but comprise a very large range of activities also belonging to the ‘traditional jobs’.
The latter can be considered if deployed online instead of on-site and are aimed at implementing a number of tasks without any engagement at the employers’ premises. A long list of job roles can be drawn for remote working internships like for example: graphic, designer, text editor, journalist, bookkeeper, transcriber, interior designer, social media and marketer, product consultant, branding expert, mechanical manufacture designer, web designer, software developer and many more.
The same job role can be implemented in different areas.
- How does it work?
The virtual Mobility internship is entirely managed through tele working softwares that allow self-monitoring activities, including task and time management.
A system of micro AI tools helps reminding the trainees' tasks and keeping a high level of focus and attention.
The online platform has already been tested and implemented for a number of years for the management of the traditional onsite IMY work placements. It is built combining different online tools like Odoo and Limesurvey with some other services provided by third parties.
The communication is managed with two different tools, for webinars and distance learning and for individual or group video calls.
IMY provides assistance in all aspects of the work placement, before the starting period, throughout the entire internship and even after
What are you waiting for?
Before the internship
Before the beginning of the virtual mobility experience, the IMY team analyses trainees' individual profiles, their studies, professional experience and the desired activities they can carry out.
At this step, targets are designed in terms of skills and competences to be acquired or reinforced during the virtual mobility experience that, besides the specific contents of the job role, also include skills, such as: working productivity and efficiency to fulfill tasks and assignments, leading remote meetings, collaborating with colleagues remotely etc.
Afterwards, the IMY's staff identifies the companies interested in hosting the virtual mobility experience and proposes a work placement contract that clarifies terms of collaboration, working time and work organisation, tools implemented and skills promoted.
With the signature of the the virtual mobility placement contract an insurance for health and safety is issued and the internship activities can start!
During the internship
During the internship, the IMY staff is always at the trainee's disposal to provide all the necessary assistance, from understanding the tasks to defining and forecasting objectives or interacting with the tutor, uploading data online, etc.
On the first day, the IMY staff introduces the trainee to the company's tutor to clarify the objectives and the first tasks to be accomplished, during an interactive discussion.
In this occasion, the IMY tutor also explains the health and safety measures implemented for the distance work activities. This and all subsequent meetings will be organized online at all times.
Once the work placement starts, the trainee becomes responsible, with the support of the IMY tutor, to manage autonomously the relationship with the company. The monitoring and coaching service consists of the following activities:
Daily report: after the daily meeting with the company's tutor mentioned above, the trainee will be responsible to report his/her internship tasks and progresses in a personal database. Before concluding his/her intern day, the trainee will have to download his/her internship hours from Italymobility's teleworking software and archive this file in the personal database;
IMY daily monitoring: IMY staff will carefully examine the learner’s database on a daily basis, checking his/her progress and internship hours. Once a week, IMY staff will also read the monitoring questionnaire. In case of any difficulties or doubts, IMY's staff will immediately contact the trainee in order to find out a solution.
The IMY staff will be always available to give assistance and to support the trainee during his/her internship;
Online meeting with peers: once a week, trainees will have the chance to share their work and progress with their group and IMY's staff, for one hour approximately.
End of the internship
At the end of the internship, all monitored activities will be analyzed and evaluated by the IMY staff. Reporting activities is very important for the virtual mobility programme; thus, the report is based on a systematic approach, implementing the IT tools provided by the Italymobility platform.
An evaluation Certificate of Excellence in Vocational Training for having implemented a successful learning experience with the support of the Italymobility European Initiative is awarded at the end of the placement. It is based on the analysis of the questionnaires handed out by the trainee during the internships, along with the evaluations from the company’s tutor and by IMY staff. This certificate is in line with Europass Mobility criteria.
The certificate takes into account several variables, including the level of cooperation with the company tutor and with colleagues in reference to a positive attitude towards work duties in order to achieve common work objectives and results. It also provides a description of the job role covered, the targets established, the skills and competences acquired, describing the learner's developmental stages and exploring the potential for long-term professional growth.
With the increasing need for highly skilled workers, businesses around the world consistently require technical and vocational education and training, which in turn helps to improve methodologies, evaluation mechanisms and practices.
In this ever changing age, IMY Virtual Work Placements and IMY Virtual Study Visits are the first and winning choice, with a solid track of effective and smooth handling of learning.
In order to meet this increasing demand for a specialized workforce with continuous learning activities, enterprises benefits of the virtual study visit experiences that merge commercial business purposes with learning objectives. CSCS started its IMY learning mobility initiatives in 2005 and is continuing today siding the standard offer with the innovation of virtual mobility for learning.
The IMY Work Placements are suitable for learners at the end of their studies or that need skills improvement in a specific or innovative context, to acquire skills that cannot be learned with traditional instruction methods, in a relatively short period of time and with unbeatable effective results.
To have effective results in a timely manner, individuals and enterprises can benefit of the IMY Virtual Mobility Work Placements as an opposed solution to traditional on-site experiences that are not suitable for distance jobs.
With the continuous and changing demands of workforce requirements, a virtual full immersion experience in a different cultural and organizational work environment has been proven to be more effective than traditional learning settings, as standard instructional processes tend to separate the teaching phase from the application and validation of the knowledge gained.
During IMY Virtual Work Placements, learners interact directly with a wide range of peers and co-workers, living a new and full immersion experience and become rapidly productive in their new virtual workplaces.
Workers develop curiosity and ambition while striving for success. New inputs and new requirements within a different work environment enable the learners to be more flexible, versatile and creative while acquiring new skills and becoming more productive.
