Who is the “Best Apprentice in Europe 2018”? He is Italian, he’s 20 years old and – an Enel employee: Domenico Calabrese, who works at Enel’s “Federico II” Power Station in Brindisi, Apulia, in the Thermal Generation Italy business unit.
Domenico was a candidate at the VET Excellence Awards 2018 along with 20 other finalists from various industrial fields in Europe. He was awarded the prize in the “European Alliance for Apprenticeship” category in Vienna on 9 November, on the final day of European Vocational Skills Week. He received the award, which highlights good practices and recognises excellence in vocational education and training (VET), from Marianne Thyssen, the European Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility.
The prize not only considers the technical skills of the candidates, it also highlights their ability to act as ambassadors for the apprenticeship experience as a bridge between school and the job market. This is a sector where the Enel Group has already made its mark, winning the EAFA Award 2017 for large companies which recognised the Enel study-work apprenticeship model as the best in Europe. This year the Group has extended the programme to Romania while in Italy the model is evolving in a digital direction thanks to the collaboration with the Politecnico di Torino (Turin Polytechnic University).
Domenico Calabrese, who has worked with Enel for four years proactively supporting the maintenance activities at the Brindisi plant, was chosen for his attention to safety, his commitment and the innovative approach demonstrated in the daily corporate challenges.
This is a success for the entire Thermal Generation Italy team and for the 300+ young people involved in the Enel apprenticeship experience, which brings together specialist skills with openness and innovation.