5.4 Work, the Job Market, and Tourism

Work and the Job Market 👨🏾‍🏭👷🏼‍♀️

The unemployment rate in Italy is extremely high, which has created an unstable job market and a weak economy. After the financial crisis of 2008, many workers were uncared for or laid off. Even today, Italy has one of the largest levels of public debt in Europe.

The majority of the unemployed are young people, which makes the competition for work much more intense. The labor market has evolved, and there are more opportunities for individuals and greater relations between workers and their employers, but the situation is still a major issue of note.

*North - factory work + industry 

*South - agriculture + farm work 

Italian Work Culture

In Italy, there is an emphasis on the relationship between work and family, so Italians always preserve enough time for personal interests. This mentality has been strained due to the pressures of the job market and is especially felt by young people. But, unlike in the United States, the mentality is that Italians work to live and do NOT live to work 

Benefits ✔️ ✔️

• Max 40 hours per week- Mon - Fri, 9 AM - 6 PM
• 4 weeks paid leave, 11 bank holidays
• Public National Health Service- Free health care for all people- Hospital care, emergency care, primary care, pharmaceuticals, diagnostic services, free prescription drugs
• 2 months of paid maternity leave
• Additional benefits may include private health insurance, company car, mobile phone, meal voucher, additional training, etc.

How to Get a Job in Italy 

In-Demand 🌶️ 🔥

The most in-demand jobs for locals and foreigners are in the health care system, such as nurses, doctors, and therapists. Other useful professions are in the fields of mathematics, computer science, sales, and marketing. Also, speaking English fluently is key 

Important Stats:

• 68% of pop work in the service industry, accounting for 74% of Italy's GDP- 12.8% of pop work in the tourism industry, accounting for 11.8% of Italy's GDP- 51 world heritage sites, ~ 50 mil visitors per year, visitors accounted for ~ 40 billion euros- UniCredit Bank, Assicurazioni Generali insurance, road transport system
• 25.9% of pop work in the manufacturing industry- Small and medium-sized businesses in clusters, "Industrial Triangle" = Milan, Turin, Genoa- Automobiles, iron, steel, textiles, machine tools, chemicals, and food
• 3.7% of pop work in the agriculture industry, totaling 1.6 mil farms- North = dairy, corn, fruits, meat, AND South = fruits, wheat

*Information Gathered from WorldAtlas 

Best Places for Job Opportunities

In general, the larger the city*,* the more available the work is. At the same time, the cost of living is usually higher. The cities with the greatest infrastructure and opportunities are Rome, Milan, Bologna, Firenze, Bergamo, Turin, and Naples.

Top Six Cities in Italy for Employment:

1. Turin - pop of over 800,000, close proximity to Milan + Geneva, cultural activities, parks, museums, and extensive public transport
2. Milan - pop of over 1.3 million, conservative mentality, minimal English spoken, known for industry, fashion, and finance
3. Varese - pop of ~ 80,000, 30 miles N of Milan, known for industry and specialized agriculture
4. Florence - pop of over 300,000, tourism tourism tourism
5. Rome - pop of over 2.5 million, a melting pot of people, it's the Capital!!
6. Bologna - pop of over 350,000, home to auto manufacturers, banks, electronics, leather products, and clothing

*Information Gathered from Expat Exchange 

Strive for Five Vocab 🔑🔑

• Turno di lavoro - work shift
• Libero professionista - self employed
• Orario fisso - fixed working hours
• A tempo determinato/a tempo indeterminato - temporary job/permanent job
• Il datore di lavoro - employer
• Tempo pieno - full time
• Disoccupato/a - unemployed
• Il stipendio - salary
• Il guadagno- profit
• Lavoro stagionale - seasonal work
• Essere assunto/essere licenziato - to be hired/fired
• Ben/mal retribuito - well/poorly paid
• Con i turni - with shifts

Travel and Tourism ✈️ 🛩️

As of 2018, there were approximately 63 million tourists in Italy per year, making Italy the fifth most visited country in the world. Tourism is one of Italy's fastest-growing and most profitable industries, bringing in an estimated revenue of around $190 billion.

The Italians embrace foreigners, as it boosts their economy and stimulates local businesses. It is also an honor to have so many people appreciate the rich culture, cuisine, history, fashion and art, beautiful beaches and coastlines, and priceless architecture.

Popular Attractions

The Colosseum, Rome

image courtesy of the national geographic society

The Pantheon, Rome

image taken from learn religions

La Fontana di Trevi, Rome

image courtesy of barcelo

Tourism and Covid-19 😢 😥

The entire world is affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, but for Italy, a country dependent on the tourism industry for nearly 13% of its total GDP, this nightmare could cause lasting economic damage. Hotels are closed, restaurants are operating at low capacity, famous monuments are not receiving flocks of tourists, and overall, people are just not visiting Italy.

Italy Without Tourists 🚫 💲

Before Covid-19, six million US travelers visit Italy every year

• 90% of hotels remain closed in Rome, an economic loss of ~ $115 mil per month
• Revenue shortfall predicted to top 3 billion euros
• 20-30,000 people in the hotel/accommodation sector will not be rehired
• Before Covid-19, six million US travelers visited Italy every year

Italian Vacations 🏖️ 🌊

Italians work extremely hard during the year, so the summer is the one time when they can drop everything, take a break, and go on holiday to enjoy themselves. August is the busiest vacation month, and many people take beach vacations, where they can sunbathe, lie in the sand, and relax in the warm water.

To satisfy these wants, these are the "ideal" vacation spots Italians choose: 🏄🏽 ⛱️

• Italy: the Amalfi Coast, Liguria, Calabria, Puglia, Tuscany

• International: the Maldives, Greece, the Caribbean, or Southeast Asia For a more "artsy," touring trip, Italians choose: 🚶🏾 🗿

• Italy: Rome, Milan, Florence, Siena, Palermo, Venice, Bologna

• International: Spain, Portugal, France, USA

Strive for Five Vocab 🔑🔑

• Il giorno festivo - holiday
• Il periodo di riposo - break/time off
• La vacanza lampo - quick vacation
• L'alta/bassa stagione - high/low season
• La località di villeggiatura - holiday/vacation spot
• Il pacchetto vacanza - vacation package
• Scendere in spiaggia - to head down to the beach
• Andare a sciare - to go skiing
• Trascorrere le ferie a - to spend vacation at
• La meta - destination
• La vacanza balneare - beach vacation
• Organizzarsi in anticipo - to organize oneself/plan ahead