The beauty of being young: an interview with Generation Z

And here we are, let’s go.

In chronological order, we met Niccolò, followed by Bianca, then Davide and finally Jacopo.

You’re so young! I think this thought grazed, at least for a thousandth of a second, our minds, meeting the four guys for the first time. Bianca is the most âgée, if we can use this word, of the group, while Niccolò is the youngest. Davide and Jacopo, born in 1999 and 2002 respectively, are equally young and with equally clear ideas.

The guys are proudly “Romagnoli doc”: Niccolò is even from the Ronco district, a few kilometers from CEPI headquarters, Davide lives in Castrocaro Terme, Jacopo in Fiumana (Predappio), while Bianca was born and raised in Faenza.

Yes, they’re young, but already with a good amount of experience. Bianca, who studied Graphic Design at the University of Venice, has been in charge of Quality & Manuals at CEPI since February of this year and carries on, in parallel, the activity of graphic designer as a freelance. Bianca’s eyes sparkle when she talks about her profession. A dream that is coming true, love at first click: she tells us, smiling, that she started tinkering with Photoshop at the age of 7! Office, Adobe, AdHoc, Fusion and, of course, Autocad, these are the tools Bianca uses every day in her job.

The three boys are more physical and material. They rely on head and hands in their jobs. After a three-month internship, Niccolò was hired by CEPI as a bench welder in the Globosilo area: he has been welding with tig and wire for a year now. It was a positive year, full of novelties: “CEPI is another world”, he confides to us, referring to past experiences that were not so positive.

Davide, the gentle giant, as I kindly nicknamed him, instead deals with assembly in the hoppers department and his balance of the first year in CEPI is positive. “Concentration is key in my work. Yes, of course, manual skills are important, but if you don’t put your mind to it, you don’t go ahead”, he explains, referring to the fact that reading the technical drawing, in his job, is the basis. Jacopo, on the other hand, the most veteran of the Fantastic 4: he has been in charge of the pre-assembly and pre-welding of the components since 2019. “I have always loved working, I approached thanks to my dad, who is a welder”, says Jacopo, who adds: “welding machine, drill and forklift are the musts of my job”.

What strikes me as I interview them is that they have a good head on their shoulders, and they strongly believe in defined principles and values.

My next question: three positive points about working life in CEPI. All four tell me of a beautiful company in various aspects, from the structural design to the organization, from the particular attention to young people to the welfare program, which focuses on the well-being of the employees. I ask them to tell me more: again, they all four agree on the fact that the atmosphere between colleagues, in CEPI, is wonderful. Bonds are created, not just professional ones, and they are cultivated. We help each other a lot. The sharing of knowledge is at the heart of the company vision, availability and mutual help are part of daily life. It is nice that there are young people who are willing to learn, and it is equally heartening that there is still the will to teach, to pass on one’s knowledge. On this they all agree, and I agree with them.

Distancing myself a little from the corporate sphere, I move on to the personal one and ask them how they experienced the impact with the world of work. I’m surprised by the fact that all of them have always worked hard: Bianca worked in an ice cream shop during her studies, still pursuing her activity as a freelance graphic designer, and those who, like the three boys, have been used to following older figures, making gigs or as we say here pastrocchi, as Davide tells us with a smile, who used to help his father as a plumber, or Jacopo, who as a lover of the countryside, in his spare time deals with the cultivation of land with his family. When Niccolò tells us that he is very comfortable managing the double shift (day and night), I ask him if he finds working at night demanding and if this affects his everyday life: “absolutely not, I feel well working at night, it is cool, and I really can’t stand the heat”, he tells us. I dubbed them the Fantastic 4, but these guys are really cool!

They are representatives of GenZ: a question about their relationship with technology is in order. Finally some conflicting opinions: Bianca defines herself as a geek, she was practically born with the PC. Today she works with it and clearly could never do without it. Social medias? “Yes, I use them and I have always used them to communicate with my university mates. When I was studying in Venice, and of course during Covid pandemia, I could not have ignored them. Indeed, in those years I experimented with every possible social platform!”. Jacopo and Niccolò, on the other hand, confess that they are moderately technological types. In short, technology makes them neither hot nor cold. Useful but not essential. Davide, on the other hand, is categorical, he firmly believes that the Internet has contributed to the degradation of youth. “I’m sorry, but I believe in eye contact, when I talk or go out with a person I want to look at them and interact with them. When I go out, I almost forget I have my phone, I never take it out.” Technological yes, in short, but with (very) caution!

Coming to the end of the interview, I ask the guys for a brief self-assessment: how would you describe yourself, in a couple of words? Even on this occasion, their answers surprise me, positively. Niccolò defines himself as patient, open to new experiences and knowledge, and realistic. When we ask him what he means by realist, he says: “I see things as they are. If I’m wrong, I’d rather admit my mistake. This aspect is also the basis of the relationship with my colleagues, we all think so”.

When it comes to sincerity, Bianca also offers us an interesting contribution. In addition to defining herself sociable and “a bit chatty“, she explains that in her opinion sincerity is the basis of every relationship: she likes to clarify things, aiming to build “a relationship of mutual trust between people“.

Jacopo, on the other hand, in addition to defining himself as a worker, tells us that being sunny and altruistic are his main traits. Altruistic a bit like Davide, who also likes to bring serenity to people. On altruism, however, both Jacopo and Davide agree that it is not easy to establish whether it is a merit or a defect. “I am very altruistic, and I am proud of it, but unfortunately many take advantage of it”, Jacopo confesses and Davide confirms: “My altruistic character is like this: to make a person feel good, I rather deprive myself of something. This cost me, many people use your altruism for their own convenience”. Stefania and I, to cheer them up, reassure them that it is a magnificent gift and that, as they grow up, it will be easier for them to dose it, understanding who deserves it and who doesn’t.

These guys bring positivity. A positivity that strongly embraces the concept of altruism, collaboration, and mutual aid. Not only between peers, but also between generations. And perhaps it is precisely this embrace that will lead them to a serene personal and professional balance. CEPI firmly believes in young people so concretely: it is in partnership with local schools (discover some of our active projects here). The relationship between generations, open and sincere, can be such if it is based on important pillars such as reciprocity, an aptitude for listening and sharing one’s generosity. Heartfelt thanks, guys, for trusting and trusting us. For us this is a reason for joy, and it is also a great responsibility. We will always strive to cultivate your desire to dream.