“From Knowing to Knowing How”: Historical Trademarks Association raises alarm about skills, 46% of profiles sought are unobtainable

• Organized today at Palazzo Piacentini, the event “From Knowing to Knowing How” to reflect on the mismatch of skills and generational transition;
• Presented the Youth Group’s 2026 campaign, titled “Together, we make the future”: 20 young entrepreneurs from the Association tell their stories.

Rome, March 25, 2026 – In Italian companies, nearly one out of every two hires today is difficult to find. In sectors crucial to the national economy, such as construction and the engineering industry, recruitment difficulties exceed the critical threshold of 60 percent, with an average of 4.5 months needed to identify the professional figures in demand. It is starting from these alarming data, processed by CNEL and Unioncamere, that the event “From Knowledge to Know-How,” organized by the Association of Italian Historical Trademarks in collaboration with the Business and Skills Foundation for Made in Italy and sponsored by the National Youth Council, opened today at Palazzo Piacentini in the presence of the Minister of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso.

“Today we celebrate a significant milestone: 1,000 Historical Trademarks registered in the Special Register of the Italian Patent and Trademark Office. A thousand realities that embody the country’s manufacturing history and show the way: quality, excellence, identity and innovation. A goal that is part of the program of more than 800 initiatives of the National Made in Italy Day 2026, which will take place next April 15, the anniversary of the birth of Leonardo da Vinci: the genius that best expresses the ability to combine identity, history, culture, art and innovation. A national day that this year we have dedicated to the theme of education. It is crucial to strengthen the link between Historical Trademarks and the education system: solid skills applied to production fuel innovation and competitiveness. Our commitment is clear: support Historical Trademarks, foster collaboration with schools and educational institutions and create pathways for young people,” said the Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Sen. Adolfo Urso.

“The skills challenge is now the strategic priority to armor the future of Made in Italy,” commented Massimo Caputi, president of the Historical Trademarks Association. “The training and production systems still operate on parallel tracks: the mismatch is fueled by the inadequacy of profiles compared to the real needs of supply chains, fragility in orientation processes and a lack of technical and operational skills. We need figures not only with technical-specialist skills, but also capable of combining know-how with a generalized business culture. It is essential to reduce the gap between school and industry, enhancing the distinctive know-how of our supply chains and governing the generational transition, so as to ensure continuity and competitiveness for the country system.”

“From Knowing to Knowing How,” an event sponsored by the Association of Italian Historical Trademarks, drew attention to the growing mismatch between labor supply and demand in the country. Currently, about 46 percent of the profiles sought are difficult to find, with peaks of more than 60 percent in the construction and engineering sectors. This critical issue is mainly attributable to the distance between the education system and the production system, as well as the lack of adequate technical and operational skills. The importance of integrating theoretical knowledge and practical skills to support the competitiveness of Made in Italy was stressed. Craft skills and territorial know-how represent a strategic asset to be enhanced and protected. The need to improve the orientation and perception of young people toward such career paths is also highlighted.” thus Giovanni Brugnoli, President of the Foundation of Enterprises and Skills for Made in Italy.

“The rest of the world will be able to bridge the technical gaps thanks to what we can call a real “technological prosthesis,” such as artificial intelligence,” added Armando De Nigris, Vice President of the Historical Trademarks Association and President of the Youth Group.“What, however, will not be able to be replicated with the same immediacy is the creative capacity of our young people, our deeply human approach and our culture of doing. Ours are businesses that have been able to combine tradition and innovation, keeping alive a continuity that today passes into the hands of the new generations.”

The event also saw the official unveiling of the Youth Group’s new 2026 campaign, entitled “Together, we make the future.” Abandoning the model of individual testimonials, the campaign focuses on the visual power of unity: an impactful commercial featuring the faces of 20 young entrepreneurs from the Association, bearing witness to a historical heritage that knows how to renew and regenerate itself through the energy of the new generations. The campaign will be spread internationally, including through the involvement of the Diplomatic-Consular Network of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

The campaign features:
Angelica Faotto (Silcart), Anna Cento (Cimbali Group), Edoardo Arecco (Gabetti), Elisa Belvedere Mazzetti (Mazzetti d’Altavilla), Federica Morgante (Morgante), Federico Becattini (Savio Firmino), Francesco Vena (Lucano 1894), Gaia Evangelisti (Mazzetti d’Altavilla), Letizia Roncoroni (Roncoroni), Luca Cervellione Pallini (Pallini), Luna Zonfrillo (Mercurio Misura), Marcello De Nigris (De Nigris 1889), Matteo Fornasari (Gabetti), Olimpia Caputi (Terme di Saturnia), Romilda Roncoroni (Roncoroni), Susanna Toschi (Toschi), Tommaso Canella (Canella), Tommaso Inghirami (Inghirami Company).

More information and campaign content