Telecom Italia, as a first in Italy, launched its I Care Myself corporate social responsibility programme last December. The scheme offers employees free places on degree and single subject courses at UTIU (Università Telematica Internazionale UNINETTUNO), for academic year 2010/2011, with the aim of enabling its workers to develop their non-professional knowledge assets and skills.
The scheme, agreed with the main industry unions - SLC-CGIL, FISTel-CISL and UILCOM-UIL - has so far proved a great success, with the initial pool of places entirely taken within an hour of the opening of the applications window. More than 3,000 applications have been received—around 2,700 for degree courses—for the 600 university degree and 3,000 single subject courses on offer. This outcome is extremely encouraging and a clear demonstration of the energy and potential that exists within the company and a tangible sign of the commitment of employees to their personal development and the future of the company.
In the light of this success and to fully back the spirit of the initiative aimed at the welfare and satisfaction of its people and their desire to broaden their knowledge and capabilities, Telecom Italia has decided, in agreement with the trade unions, to review the terms of the program and meet all applications received.
Among the subjects available Communication Sciences and Psychology as well as Engineering and Economics attracted the greatest interest. This is entirely in line with the premises on which the scheme was founded: the company's recognition that true competition in the future will rest on the skills of its people and that these can only be developed voluntarily by building upon their natural aptitudes.
Rome, 28 January 2011
