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Mikhail Fedorov has been offered the post of adviser to the Italian Minister of Defence
Italy’s Defence Minister, Guido Crosetto, has offered Ukraine’s former Defence Minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, a position as an adviser in Rome. Crosetto revealed this in an interview with the Italian newspaper *la Repubblica*, according to Reuters. According to the Italian minister, he rang Fedorov the day after his dismissal and said: “When would you like to come to Rome and work with me as an adviser?” Crozetto praised Fedorov’s role in modernising Ukraine’s defence sector, particularly the development of military technology and the use of drones. He described him as one of the people who had “completely changed the rules of the game on the battlefield”. Fedorov, aged 35, previously headed the Ukrainian Ministry of Defence. His dismissal caused a significant public outcry in Ukraine. According to media reports, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy had also offered him other roles within his team, but Fedorov stated that he was not prepared to accept any position other than that of Defence Minister. The Italian offer has become a symbol of support and recognition of his expertise in the field of defence innovation.
Staffing crisis in Italy: there is a shortage of IT specialists, construction workers and drivers
The paradox of the Italian labour market is becoming increasingly apparent: the number of job vacancies is rising, yet it is becoming ever more difficult to find staff for many professions. The labour shortage affects not only high-tech sectors but also quite ordinary professions — from bus drivers and healthcare workers to construction workers, tourism staff and those in the cultural sector. According to Italian media reports (Rai News, Corriere della Sera, La Repubblica and La Stampa), the labour shortage in Piedmont’s transport sector is forcing employers to look for staff outside Italy. For example, the bus company Atap, which operates in the provinces of Biella and Vercelli, has begun recruiting new drivers in Morocco. To this end, a special project to attract foreign workers has been launched with the support of the Moroccan Consulate. The reason is an acute staff shortage. The region needs over 8,000 drivers, whilst there are only around 5,300 potential candidates. The situation is no better in the healthcare system. The Piedmont region is short of more than 6,000 doctors and nurses, whilst there are just over 4,300 available specialists. This is precisely why healthcare facilities are increasingly recruiting staff from abroad, and current legislation allows doctors to work until the age of 72–73. At the same time, demand for IT specialists is also growing. The region needs over 2,500 software developers, but it has not yet been possible to find the required number of specialists. According to UA Service Hub, the staff shortage is particularly acute in the tourism and culture sectors. Indeed, there are only 183 potential candidates for nearly 21,000 vacancies. These include tour guides, librarians, entertainers, sound engineers, and staff at museums and exhibition centres — professions without which the tourism sector cannot function properly. There is also a shortage of skilled construction workers and manual labourers. At the same time, the opposite situation is observed for low-skilled roles. For example, more than 12,000 people are applying for unskilled industrial jobs, whilst employers are offering fewer than 4,000 vacancies. Experts note that the situation in the labour market is changing not only due to technological developments. Key factors include an ageing population, demographic decline, the rapid growth of the service sector, and a shift in young people’s attitudes towards professions involving heavy physical labour or low pay. Today, Italy is increasingly facing a new reality: simply creating jobs is no longer enough. The main question is a different one — where to find people who are willing to take them.
Popular services of Ukrainians in Italy | UA Service Hub
In the short time since the UA Service Hub platform (work.crasa.team) went live, a clear picture has already emerged of the demand among Ukrainians living in Italy. The service is aimed primarily at Ukrainian refugees and migrants who are actively integrating into European society and looking for work, clients and essential services. Analytics have shown that the most popular requests are generated not in Ukraine, but in Italy, where the Ukrainian community is one of the largest in Europe. People need fast, clear and accessible services from their own Ukrainian-speaking specialists. Culinary services and food preparation are in the highest demand. Ukrainians in Italy are actively seeking home cooks, catering, baking and the preparation of traditional dishes. This is linked both to nostalgia for home cooking and to the demand for catering services for events within the diaspora. Second place is taken by dressmaking and seamstress services. Many Ukrainian craftswomen work in this field, and demand is driven by the desire to obtain high-quality, bespoke clothing or have items repaired without a language barrier. Home handyman services consistently take third place. In Italy, Ukrainians often work in the domestic services sector, so requests for repairs, plumbing, electrical work and appliance installation are constantly in demand. It is also worth highlighting the growing demand for the services of photographers, videographers and editors. Ukrainians in Italy are actively developing businesses, blogs and personal brands, as well as organising events — and they need high-quality content. The UA Service Hub platform was created as a single space for finding and providing services amongst Ukrainians in Italy. It helps users quickly find a service provider without a language barrier, negotiate directly and receive high-quality service from trusted specialists. The work.crasa.team service is becoming an important tool for integrating Ukrainians into their new environment, bringing together supply and demand in one place.