In the post-Covid job market, the growing importance of remote working has highlighted the need for agile profiles, capable of working independently, target-oriented, and equipped with transversal skills, in order to manage unexpected events and changes without being overwhelmed.
The spread of this working method allows the selection of candidates without borders, but the competition to attract agile talents increases. This is why local companies must create a talent strategy that responds to the new needs that have emerged from the health crisis, and it exploits the potential of digital to improve productivity and selection processes. Companies must then guarantee employee well-being, inclusion and professional development and retraining, which are embedded in our ecosystem and represent the potential for attraction. Attracting talents from abroad is an important tool for increasing the competitive capacity of the Reggio Emilia production system and strengthening its internationalization processes.
Reggio HUB is a project promoted by the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, realized by POPWave with the support of Reggiane Parco Innovazione and, in collaboration with the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, and Unindustria Reggio Emilia. The project has been promoted under the “Horizon 2020”and it targets companies in Reggio Emilia and young people in the world looking for professionalizing experiences; the specific goal is to attract and retain skills and creative talents in Reggio Emilia, enhancing the local innovation system.
Reggio HUB is an integrated information system to ensure the direct contact between demand and offer of highly qualified and high-level work. The project aims, as a general objective, to enhance the attractiveness of the socio-economic context of Reggio Emilia and to respond to the needs of the local business fabric through the recruitment of highly qualified profiles (students and professionals) from different countries. Attracting talents and skills is a fundamental tool for increasing the competitive capacity of the Reggio Emilia production system and strengthening its innovation and internationalization processes.
Through digital marketing strategies and tools, it collects and makes available job offers presented by local companies (15 companies have already joined the project including Kohler, Smeg, Max Mara, Credem). The Reggio Hub team monitors companies' needs for specific skills and profiles, intercepts and interacts with potentially interested young foreign students or professionals. Furthermore, according to a “City Brand Management” model, it promotes the economic, cultural and social system of Reggio and its excellence.
With regard to the selection process, the Reggio Hub team starts with talent scouting and promotion with the job positions and territory of Reggio Emilia. Subsequently, the team proceeds with a pre-selection of curricula and sends the most adequate profiles to the company. The company gets in touch with the candidate and schedules an interview. If the candidate has been selected, the team initiates the procedures to help him/her to get to Italy and finally the traineeship begins.
The Reggio Hub project aims at systematizing the talent attraction system of Reggio Emilia. There are many actors that work towards the attraction of foreign talents in the local economic fabric, but they do not work together. The project helps these actors to cooperate so that the whole society can benefit from the arrival of highly qualified professionals and students that bring new competences and knowledge.
