I write this post after spending a morning among young people.
A class of 18 teenagers are attending a course on upholstery at the Professional Institute of AFOL Meda. These young people have chosen to become upholsterers, most because it is a family profession or because they live in the community of “Brianza”, the capital of the furniture industry in Italy or simply because they have decided to DO something with their hands.
The opportunity of meeting the students was made possible by our project #divanoXmanagua, where they will work in our laboratory, together with our master craftsmen, as previously reported.
(I would like to share my gratitude to professor Longo and all the faculty for the collaboration between our company and the school, they have shown great understanding and sensitivity).
My intension of going was to deliver a message to the students, but I soon realized that they had a very strong message to give me.
Strong, because it expressed no unnecessary words.
When I walked into the room, I wanted to introduce myself individually to everyone sitting at their desks but when we looked at each other -– I understood immediately by the look in their eyes and from their very interesting mutual presentations, these students possess a noble desire to work. Perhaps to continue the profession of the father or grandfather. This is still a type of work where you can make a name for yourself in the world. This is what I realized:
These students are one thousand percent ready, smart, capable and receptive.
When we had finished it was clear to me, I was the one with the lesson to learn.
We have a lesson to learn. A lesson in which the subject being taught is the future. Or should I say, the students are the future craftsman?
Now, after school their off to do their homework.
The fact is we have not to disappoint the expectations present in these young students, not with # divanoXmanagua – a difficult project but limited – in society, we cannot allow human capital to be lost or misused.
If we fail, a very simple thing will happen we will be soundly rejected by our children.
Filippo Berto