Husband and wife share their separate success stories thanks to ‘Your first EURES job’ programme

The company is based in the Gulf of Genoa, Northern Italy, and operates across the Mediterranean and beyond. Gianfranco works with a small group of specialised staff, most of whom are Italian native speakers. However, the main working language in the professional maritime world is English.

With this in mind, Gianfranco wanted to bring in a trainee from abroad with a strong level of English. He found out about the EU job mobility programme Your first EURES job (YfEj) when he met Marirosa Chiocca, a EURES Adviser at the Citta Metropolitana di Genova.

Financial and administrative support

Gianfranco soon hired an English-speaking trainee from Estonia named Mari, following a smooth recruitment process. ‘The YfEj website is very useful and easy, and we also had great assistance from [EURES Adviser] Marirosa.’

Mari was a great fit at the company and became a full-time member of the team after a successful traineeship. Gianfranco has since hired a second trainee through the programme too.

‘We were very happy with the support provided to the trainee and to our company,’ he says. ‘The financial benefits offer good support.’

A successful referral

So would Gianfranco recommend his experience with the YfEj scheme to other employers in his position?

‘I already have!’ he says. ‘I suggested it to my wife.’

Although also a business owner, Gianfranco’s wife, Gabriella Minuzzo, specialises in an entirely different sector for which the Valle d’Aosta region is well known: wine production.

Gabriella has her own vineyard and winery, and also manages the ‘Maison d'Hotes Victoret’ bed and breakfast, where her visitors are able to discover the beautiful valley where she grows her grapes.

‘My husband, who is in charge of another activity, had already applied for this opportunity [with YfEj] with his company and suggested to me to offer a traineeship to a young worker,’ Gabriella explains.

Like Gianfranco, Gabriella has hired two trainees through the YfEj programme – one from Finland, and another from France. The trainees have split their time between the vineyard, winery, and bed and breakfast.

Mutual benefits for employers and employees

The YfEj programme offers a mutually beneficial relationship in which both employers and employees gain. ‘We could have found someone else in a job centre, but we considered YfEj a good opportunity for the trainee to gain experience abroad and for us an opportunity to receive support with our daily work,’ Gabriella explains.

The international perspective that trainees from abroad can bring is also important in Gabriella’s industry. ‘Having a young worker from abroad was also an opportunity for us to be open to international relations and cultural exchange, also because part of our job is dedicated to welcoming tourists from within Italy and from different countries around the world,’ she says.

Gabriella also worked closely with Marirosa, who was ‘very professional, competent and kind’.

‘She was always ready to support us and the trainee with any complex issues,’ Gabriella explains. ‘Without her support, it would have been too hard – impossible, even – for us to manage.’

‘We are very happy with the support provided to us and to the trainee. The financial benefits are a good incentive and the website is also an efficient, international tool to arrange requests and offers for work experience.’

The fact that both Gianfranco and Gabriella have had such positive experiences with the YfEj programme – despite working in very different sectors – demonstrates the benefits that the scheme can bring for all kinds of employers.

If you have a friend or family member that could benefit from hiring staff from abroad, why not follow Gianfranco’s example and let them know about the Your first EURES job programme today!

Your first EURES job is a European Union job mobility scheme. To find out more about employment and training opportunities across the EU or to find employees with the skills you need, contact one of the scheme’s employment services or get in touch with your local EURES Adviser via the EURES Portal.

Related links:

Your first EURES job (YfEj)

EURES Portal

Read more:

European Job Days

Drop’pin@EURES

Find a EURES Adviser

Living and Working Conditions in EURES countries

EURES Jobs Database

EURES services for employers

EURES Events Calendar

Upcoming Online Events