Craft and digital: CNA Pisa meets 12 professionals from 6 European countries
Craftsmanship and digitization, a meeting was held in the Chamber of Commerce in Pisa to talk about the new challenges that increasingly affect the old professions starting from the technological revolution
The seminar, coordinated by Carla Sabatibni, CEO of NKey and designer of European pathways, it was organized in collaboration with CNA Pisa which also involved Artex to analyze – with all the actors involved – the trend of the artisan world and the commitment put in place to protect it, safeguard it and, at the same time, enhance its precious heritage.
Among the objectives in the field is also knowing how to make it increasingly competitive by benefiting from digitalisation, which is sometimes not always immediate and accessible to the traditional figure of the Master Craftsman. Here CNA Pisa – together with NKey – welcomed a delegation of 12 guests from 6 European countries (Spain, Malta, Portugal, Romania, England and Poland) who received an all-round overview of the world of craftsmanship and the initiatives that the trade association, in concert with the other players involved, puts in place to enhance it. Among these, particular emphasis was placed on meetings dedicated to the master craftsman in schools and colleges, on experiential tourist packages and ad hoc workshops dedicated to visitors and children. Meetings and occasions, the latter, designed precisely to prevent the disappearance of the figure of the craftsman, of the old trades and of the cultural heritage treasure of our country.
To go even more specifically, we recall that the Santa Croce IT company Nkey has been involving local artisan realities in the Erasmus+ ArITsan project for over a year.
What is it about?
Funded by European funds, ArITsan was born from a reflection of the leading Romanian association, ProXpert, on the precariousness of the European artisan sector which, at every latitude without exception, is going through a highly critical phase. A large project that aims to promote entrepreneurial literacy and new educational approaches to IT and digital designed specifically for senior craftsmen. After all, the cultural heritage of every country, first of all Italy, cannot disregard the precious artistic heritage guarded by older artisans who, inevitably, have long been coming to terms with an increasingly computerized and digital business model which , without adequate guidance, runs the risk of confining them to the margins of the entrepreneurial world, forcing them to close their doors and disperse their cultural and artisanal heritage. Starting from these assumptions, Carla Sabatini, one of the four founding partners of the Santa Croce-based Nkey as well as a member of the CNA Pisa leather area presidency, took over the reins of coordination of the Italian team by identifying a target of senior craftsmen who possess solid craft skills but adequate ICT skills. In this way, counting on the support and contribution of Cna Pisa and its Copernico training agency, it has promoted their participation in educational activities aimed at improving computer and digital skills, also explaining the potential of e-commerce and the variegated heritage “united in diversity” of the European Union.
At the end of the meeting, CNA Pisa gave its willingness to organize and create a new table of work directly involving the entrepreneurial fabric and therefore all the Master Craftsmen of the provincial territory.
“Given the history of Italian craftsmanship and the richness of the artisan tradition, a project like ArITsan has allowed us to work for the area, bringing to light the real difficulties of our artisans – commented Sabrina Perondi, trade union coordinator of CNA Pisa -. CNA is once again at the forefront to safeguard and protect their activities and the tradition of Italian artistic craftsmanship”.
Words confirmed by the deputy director of CNA Pisa, Barbara Carli, also present at the meeting in the Chamber of Commerce: “I thank Carla Sabatini of NKey, Elisa Guidi of Artex, Valter Tamburini and the Chamber of Commerce for hosting this very interesting seminar. Often the limitation of the craftsman lies in the difficulty of proposing himself in an increasingly digitized and constantly changing market. Here the real challenge, sometimes complex, lies in having one’s value recognized and in passing on one’s knowledge. Use the digital, to convey the importance of the talent of your hands can make a tangible contribution to save the activities of excellence from the risk of disappearance that threatens them. A circumstance that we must avoid and that, as a trade association, we will do everything in our power to prevent it from happening. Today fits perfectly into this context”