February 10, 2015 - “We believe that expertise makes all the difference,” explains Gianluca Grondona, Group HR & Organization Director for Salini Impregilo in an interview with Italian daily la Repubblica on the hiring programme that the group launched last December with a campaign entitled “Courage at Work”.

In 2014, Salini Impregilo hired 2,500 people and “will hire as many this year,” he says. The group, known for its excellence in major infrastructure projects, is focusing on young men and women. “We are selecting about 100 new engineering graduates who will be sent to gain experience in our construction sites around the world,” says Mr. Grondona.

The big hiring programme aims to hire 100 engineers over the course of three months and 15,000 people worldwide over a four-year industrial plan. The group has already hired 2,500 and it plans to hire another 2,500  in the coming months.

The hiring programme also includes a multi-year plan to tutor 100 young talents in Italy and 400 abroad each year. Those showing the most promise will be invited to participate in an internship in the Group.

“The objective,” explains Grondona, “is to develop - in five years -  a new class of international managers. This is crucial in a sector such as ours that has not provided many opportunities to new generations.”

The success of the initiative, which is evident in the number of new employees hired, was publicised both via traditional media and on-line channels.

The Repubblica article emphasizes how, in just a few days, Salini Impregilo received over 1,600 curricula. The group provides young men and women with a great opportunity for professional development thanks to the technical and managerial competences and skills that it can transfer to them. What’s essential, adds  Mr Grondona, ”is training and the opportunity to participate in projects of excellence. This is what truly increases the value of a young professional.”