La leggerezza e la grazia applicate alla materia. Grace and lightness applied to materials.
whole process of expansion; he will also help overcome the main barrier that small businesses may encounter in an internationalization process, i.e. the lack of skills. As of the second edition, SPRING has been matching the Temporary Export Manager with the figure of the work-study participant: a student who for 8 months will provide authentic operational support in the accomplishment of the internationalization activity. In addition to the normal benefits of a work experience programme such as acquiring maturity and making their first contact with the working world, the students will experience and comprehend the work opportunities offered by small businesses; and the latter, for their part, will learn to avail of young resources from a new catchment area, who are otherwise difficult to involve. The Lombardy Region is committing itself with SPRING4 so that the package of services made available to businesses to accompany the internationalization path is even more effective. In this edition, in fact, the project will adapt to individual requirements more flexibly than ever before, thanks to a training course that is personalized on the basis of company interests, and to the implementation of specially created additional specialist services. For the duration of the project, SPRING4 envisages participation in training courses that are capable of imparting sufficient expertise for the completion of the planned project but which, above all, can create that added value which is indispensable for autonomously continuing the path of growth undertaken. SPRING4’s strength does not lie solely in the possibility for small businesses of availing of
a complete and punctual service which they would not otherwise be able to internalize: the ultimate objective is, if anything, to provide the foundations, skills and instruments necessary to bring about an evolution in the company’s DNA. To gain access to this development opportunity, the companies concerned (belonging to the manufacturing sector and that of the providers of services to companies with operating headquarters in Lombardy which have a maximum
of 50 employees) have until 29.01.2010 to present a concise “internationalization project” relating to the interests/needs of their company, and highlighting the growth trail they wish to undertake in foreign markets. For further information, and for presenting the request for candidature, telephone 02.66.737.376, write to spring4@ cestec.it or go to http://spring4. cestec.eu.
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