On Friday, 9th February 2024, the sixth edition of Gran Sasso Quality School kicked off with the training project "Il Rimaglio" (The Linking project) conceived by Maglificio Gran Sasso in collaboration with the School Headmaster, Prof. Lucia Condolo, and the teachers of the Vocational Institute "Primo Levi"- Fashion course in Sant'Egidio alla Vibrata. Part of the "pathways for transversal skills and orientation", introduced as an evolution from the school-work alternation program, this course aims not only at teaching young talents professional skills in the field of knitwear, but also at putting their knowledge into practice within the company, thus facilitating their insertion into the labor market.
For Maglificio Gran Sasso, bringing exquisite knitting techniques back to Abruzzo and training Made in Italy specialists is a fundamental goal, as Carlo Di Stefano, Gran Sasso brand manager, explains, "We are proud of our 100% Made in Italy manufacture, something we couldn’t do without. Through this initiative, we want to pass on the techniques for making high-quality products and bring back those skills that have been waning in our territory in past years." A concrete commitment of the Maglificio, which, since 2018, has directly organized and managed the Quality School Linking Course, thanks to the donation of two linking machines and the collaboration of an expert artisan appointed as a teacher.
The course is intended for 13 pupils attending the third year of the Fashion course offered by the Vocational Institute and will last about 3 months. The study plan focuses on the linking stage and covers a variety of activities to become an expert craftsman: linking simple garments in natural fibers, handling complex items, evaluating yarn yield, recognizing knit stitches, warp-knitting techniques, and more. The project will conclude with a short internship at Gran Sasso headquarters.
Gran Sasso Quality School is part of the extensive training program supported by Gran Sasso: the Craft and Linking Excellence Academy (Accademia d’Eccellenza dell’Artigianalità e del Rimaglio). All of the Academy's initiatives aim to pass on the knowledge and skills acquired over years in the field so that the generational change and exquisite Made in Italy workmanship is fostered and guaranteed over time.
