Page 94 - SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2016

YOU PEOPLE 95

CONTINUOUS TRAINING LABORATORIES. SCHOOL OF TRADES

ACCADEMIA 14 Executive Chefs and Sous Chefs
BARILLA

Food&Beverage Directors
CANTINE 26 and Bar Managers
FERRARI

The pursuit of standards of excellence in courses for our Here for you hospitality
our food experience on board has led Costa program (11,814 participants) as well as UNIVERSITÀ 2 Bar Managers
to organize ongoing specialized training for for our Italy’s Finest Service Value training DEL CAFFÈ ILLY
its food & beverage service professionals. program (3122 participants).
The School of Trades project, managed A similar approach was used with our shore UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI
in partnership with leading Italian food tours personnel, who attended a training DI SCIENZE GASTRONOMICHE 100% of our shipboard Pizza Chefs
brands, sees the direct involvement of our program dealing with the art of storytelling DI POLLENZO
food handlers and other key personnel in run by external partners and designed to
highly specialized seminars and workshops enhance our employees’ communicative CAST 9 Pastry Chefs
held by our partners at their training skills and the way they describe the (CENTRO ARTE, SCIENZA
1 Ministry of Education, University and E TECNOLOGIA DELL’ALIMENTO)
Research facilities. In 2016 we continued to hold locations visited on our excursions.

Villa Figoli, much more than a training school

The new Academy of Advanced Training for Shipboard Hotel Services is the result of collaboration between the Ligurian
Regional Administration, Arenzano City Hall, the Fondazione ITS Accademia Italiana Marina Mercantile and Costa Cruises.
The facility opened in 2016 and is designed to train professionals who will be working in the fi eld of hospitality on cruise
ships (mainly food & beverage, entertainment and customer service). It also carries out research and pursues innovation with
the goal of instilling the value of excellence and promoting the development of the tourist industry.
An important part of the curriculum of the new school, located in prestigious premises at Villa Figoli, is the Italian Cruise
Hospitality Academy project with the direct involvement of the Company in co-designing the fi rst four courses, which
alternate classroom tuition and work experience on board.
Funded by MIUR and directed at young job seekers, there is an ITS course for 22 bakers and pastry chefs; Costa is committed
1
to hiring at least 70% of these trainees. Three more courses off ering a total of 60 places for social staff (hosts and hostesses),
customer service personnel and cooks funded by the Ligurian Regional Administration with the European Social Fund are
reserved for people aged over 24; a position on Costa’s shipboard staff is guaranteed for 60% of those successfully completing
the training.
Villa Figoli de Geneys is a renovated 18 century Art Nouveau stately home that has been equipped with state-of-the-art
th
teaching facilities that blend into the surroundings perfectly. Students here benefi t from a unique training experience. The
Academy is also residential with a dormitory that sleeps up to 50. Villa Figoli is an example of broad spectrum synergy
facilitating the school-to-work transition and creating a model of excellence for the long-term supply of cruise industry
hospitality professionals. At the same time, the renovation of the building and the estate has given back to Arenzano and the
local community a splendid public park and a multipurpose venue.