Escola Europea : how to train and raise awareness of 21st century port issues

Escola Europea is a training centre founded in 2006 by the ports of Barcelona, Roma, and Genoa, and the maritime companies Grimaldi Lines and GNV. This public-private consortium offers training sessions for professionals, secondary and university students. Escola Europea promotes intermodal transport as the basis for sustainable logistics in Mediterranean countries. Its headquarters are in Barcelona (Spain), with an office in Civitavecchia (Italy) as well. Human Capital is one of the goals of AIVP’s Agenda 2030, and we have been delighted to interview Mr. Eduard Rodés, director of the “Escola Europea”. The origins of Escola Europea AIVP - On your website we have learned you have three open courses for the moment, on topics as diverse as energy transition in ports or multimodality with rail connections. Port of Barcelona and Port of Genoa, who both are founding members of AIVP, seem to be essential partners. How was the Escola Europea created? Do you have other partners other than those mentioned above, for example local authorities? Mr. Eduard Rodés, director of the Escola Europea – The Escola was born from an initiative of the Port of Barcelona which aimed to promote short sea shipping in the Mediterranean, with a particular focus on the lines connecting Spain with Italy. The initial financing for the launch of the Escola project came from the Marco Polo Programme of the European Union’s DG MOVE. It has since then been recognised as a success case in the field of training and the promotion of intermodal transport. Alongside the port authorities, shipping lines also participate in the Escola initiative – something that is crucial to its training activities as they are the service providers. The Grimaldi Group and Grandi Navi Veloci (GNV) from the MSC group are founding members of the Escola alongside the port authorities of Civitavecchia, Genova and Barcelona – which you have correctly mentioned. Apart from these main partners, other private companies and local authorities collaborate in the development of the Escola’s activities that benefit the local communities, as can be seen with our work with for example the city councils of Barcelona and el Prat de Llobregat (both municipalities where the Port of Barcelona is located), and Civitavecchia’s one as well, or the regional entities such as the Barcelona Provincial Council or the government of Catalonia. Official logo of the centre. Forma't al port: a program for the youth AIVP - Professional orientation must start early: from secondary education, students must be informed about the opportunities offered by the port sector. Sensibilization is essential to make them able to choose an adapted education, so as to access interesting jobs. It seems to us that your programme “Forma’t al port” can constitute such a tool. How do you raise the interest of young people in port activities, and has it changed since you launched the programme in 2014? Mr.…