The talent bridge
AFAM institutions and Conservatories support emerging talents not only during their academic journey, but also in their transition into the world of work through structured placement services. These services are designed to bridge education and professional opportunities, fostering connections with the creative and cultural sectors.
We spoke with the Academy of fine Arts of Ravenna to learn more about its placement service, the opportunities it offers, and how it supports students in building their professional paths.
What placement strategies or programmes are you implementing to retain and valorise academic talents (graduated students, PhDs, researchers)?
Given the specificity of the Mosaic programme, the Academy of Fine Arts of Ravenna has recently acquired numerous third-mission projects, public art works, and commissions from artists for the creation of mosaics. These opportunities have been fundamental in creating real employment prospects for our recent graduates. Thanks to the funding provided by the Legge Talenti, we have been able to project them directly into the working world, giving concrete and objective substance to our educational offer. In this way, the Academy manages to retain students after graduation, allowing them to experience first-hand the possibility of working in the region in the field of mosaic art, thus countering the brain drain and the loss of artistic craftspeople. We are also promoting a series of seminars with external experts, specifically designed to guide and support students during this delicate transition from academia to the professional world, orienting and informing them about the correct ways to enter and participate in public competitions, artistic contests, and teaching-related calls.
What types of placement and career services does your institution offer to students and graduates (e.g. career guidance, internship and traineeship support, professional orientation, administrative assistance related to placement activities)?
Are specific services provided for international students or students coming from other regions, particularly in terms of welcome, integration and academic–professional orientation?
The Academy of Fine Arts of Ravenna offers a structured system of career orientation and support that accompanies students both during their studies and in the post-graduation phase. A fundamental pillar of this support is represented by internships, which are an integral part of our educational offer and allow students to accumulate hours of practical field experience during their years of study. Complementing this, we promote a targeted series of seminars with sector experts, designed specifically to guide students through the transition from academia to the profession: these sessions provide specific guidance on how to access competitions, with a particular focus on teaching-related calls. To consolidate this strategy, a scientific committee has been established, bringing together sector associations, local museum institutions, and prominent foundations such as ‘Ravenna Antica’ and ‘Ravenna Festival’. This network of partners ensures that recent graduates benefit from real facilitations and opportunities, supported by a solid system of accompaniment, services, and dedicated administrative assistance for entering the labour market. As for the reception of international students or those coming from other regions, the institution provides specific integration and academic-professional orientation services. Aware of the strong appeal of our unique Mosaic programme, we offer personalised tutoring that supports students both logistically and administratively, as well as in their active integration into the local artistic community — allowing even those coming from outside the region to take part right away in the public art and third-mission projects promoted by the Academy.
How does your Institution foster the development of professional, artistic and transversal skills through placement-related activities (e.g. workshops, laboratories, project-based learning, mentoring, meetings with professionals, companies or cultural institutions)?
The Academy of Fine Arts of Ravenna promotes the development of artistic, professional, and transversal skills through an integrated teaching model in which theory is immediately translated into action. At the heart of this approach is project-based learning, which comes to life both through curricular internship hours — an integral part of our educational offer — and through public art and third-mission projects. Within our laboratories and workshops, students develop not only the technical excellence specific to Mosaic art, but also fundamental transversal skills such as teamwork, commission management, and complex problem-solving in the field. This growth process is constantly supported by a tutoring system and a direct channel to the working world. Thanks to the Legge Talenti, a scientific committee has been established, comprising sector associations and museum institutions such as ‘Ravenna Antica’ and ‘Ravenna Festival’, the National Museum, and the MAR (Museum of Art of the City of Ravenna), which illustrate to graduates the dynamics of the art market and the ways of the professional world.
Which tools and communication channels does your institution mainly use to promote placement opportunities and career-related activities (e.g. institutional website, LinkedIn page, IG page, career service platforms, newsletters, social media, dedicated offices or services)?
The Academy of Fine Arts of Ravenna features a dedicated ‘Placement’ section on its institutional website — a strategic tool used to promote employment opportunities in the artistic field, with a targeted focus on Mosaic and Jewellery Design. These disciplines represent the true distinctive features of our Academy, offering young talents professionally-oriented pathways. Within this area, the ‘Job Seeker’ sub-section constantly collects and publishes job offers, calls, and competitions promoted at regional, national, and international level, providing concrete and ongoing career support to our students and graduates.
How does your Institution collaborate with local stakeholders (such as companies, municipalities and public bodies, cultural organisations, innovation centres, etc) to facilitate internships, traineeships and professional opportunities for students and graduates?
In order to support the career development of its students and graduates, the Academy of Fine Arts of Ravenna has established a series of agreements with sector associations, the Municipality of Ravenna, museum institutions, foundations, and the local business community of Ravenna. This synergistic network offers students and recent graduates concrete opportunities for growth and training as they enter the working world.
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