Italy faces critical labor shortages in manufacturing and digital sectors

Italy is facing a significant labor and skills crisis across the manufacturing, digital, and artisanal sectors. In the mechanical industry, Unioncamere and Federmeccanica have signed a framework agreement to address a mismatch where 40% of companies struggle to find qualified workers. This initiative aims to improve school-to-work transitions and foster reskilling in digital and green competencies.

The digital sector is experiencing a similar shortage; in 2025, over 50% of Italian companies seeking advanced digital skills, including AI expertise, failed to find suitable candidates. Lombardy has been identified as a region with a high concentration of these unfilled roles.

Simultaneously, the traditional artisanal sector is in decline. Data from CGIA indicates that the number of artisans in Italy has dropped from 1.7 million in 2015 to approximately 1.3 million in 2025. This contraction, driven by an aging workforce and a lack of generational renewal, threatens local economies and essential maintenance services. In manufacturing districts like Fermo, challenges regarding apprenticeship effectiveness and entrepreneurial succession further complicate the transmission of specialized skills.