FAQ

Eurocultura is responsible for the organization of company traineeship, accommodation, tutoring and preparation of the necessary documents. Participants can contact Eurocultura for support throughout the program. A weekly consultation hour is planned, and a 24-hour active emergency number is provided (serious cases).

A language course in Italian or English and a leisure program are also available upon request.

Eurocultura can organize traineeships for trainees and students in companies in Vicenza and the surrounding area. Traineeships are possible for all professions and are carried out in the framework of European Mobility Programs (Erasmus+ and ESF) or other programs on behalf of the sending organization or the participants.

As part of the standard offer, the traineeships take place in an Italian-speaking work environment. English-language traineeships are possible at an additional cost.

Trainees and students over the age of 18 from all professions and specialisations can take part in the traineeship program in Vicenza. There is no age limit.

Minors can participate in exceptional cases.

Eurocultura guarantees the tutoring of the participants for problems related to everyday life during the program. Tutoring is provided through the weekly consultation and the constant monitoring. A 24-hour number can be contacted in case of emergency. If Eurocultura’s support is needed in situations that can be attributed to the participant’s self-inflicted behaviour (e.g. emergency ward in the hospital, notification of loss to the police), Eurocultura will charge an expense allowance of at least EUR 50.00.

Eurocultura’s employees speak English fluently.

CHECKLIST FOR THE PARTICIPANTS

Erasmus+ K1 – PIC and partner description

The PIC number required for the Erasmus+ application is 948760396. All necessary information is also available as a .docx file for download on our Homepage (https://www.learningmobility.it/starting-dates/).

Program of at least 3 weeks start every month. The exact starting dates are to find on our homepage. For groups of 4 or more people, a special date can be set upon request. Traineeships are not possible during the two-week Christmas break.

Eurocultura provides the sending organization and the participants with a wide range of material to promote the traineeship and its preparation:

• Info material
• Brochures for participants
• Video interviews with participants
• Interviews with traineeship companies

On our homepage you can find much more information about Vicenza, traineeships, accommodation, leisure-time and excursions.

Eurocultura will be glad to present the traineeship program as part of a video conference organized by the sending organization (in schools, chambers, companies, etc.) lasting a maximum of 30 minutes.

For an example of a four-week traineeship, click here

If people from EU countries carry out a traineeship within the framework of European programs, the Legislative Decree D.lgs 136/2016 cannot be applied since the traineeship is not remunerated in Italy. The trainees carry out a traineeship (tirocinio) without remuneration in the Italian company to learn and expand their professional knowledge.
The trainees have an employment relationship with the company in their home country. There is no contractual relationship between the company in the home country and the traineeship company in Italy. The traineeship is formalized by a traineeship project contract (progetto formativo) which implies the registration by the employers’ liability insurance association and is signed by the company, the trainee and Eurocultura.

Life costs less in Vicenza than in big cities like Milan or Rome. Here are some examples of prices in the supermarket and in daily life.

Monthly weather in Vicenza

From the international airports “Marco Polo” in Venice, “Catullo” in Verona and “Canova” in Venice-Treviso you need around 2 hours (trips by bus and train included) to reach Vicenza.
Note: the flight should not land later than 4 pm to be on time for the welcome meeting in Vicenza (around 7 pm).
Other possible airports are: Milan-Bergamo Orio al Serio, Bologna-Marconi, Milan-Linate and Milan-Malpensa. From these airports the journey to Vicenza takes between 3 and 5 hours.

More information here

There are good train connections to Vicenza from Munich (via Verona), Frankfurt / Basel (via Milan) and Vienna (via Venice-Mestre).
www.trenitalia.com

More information here

Vicenza can also be reached by bus (e.g. Flixbus).

If you travel by car, toll fees are to be paid in Switzerland, Austria and Italy.

More information here

The participants will be welcomed by Eurocultura and the host on Sunday around 7 p.m. in the counter hall at Vicenza train station. They will receive a welcome kit with program information, a one-way bus ticket for the first day and brochures about Vicenza. Afterwards the host will bring the participants to the self-catering accommodation. Dinner on the first day and breakfast on the second day are included in the standard price.

Bus service in Vicenza works from 5:00 am to 11:30 pm (Saturday until 3:30 am). Connections to the surroundings are also guaranteed during the day.
Upon request Eurocultura organizes “weekly/monthly bus tickets” at an additional cost.

Upon request Eurocultura also organizes the transfer from the airport to Vicenza at an additional cost.

Nowadays a traineeship abroad has become an important experience for the curriculum. In order to take best advantage of this time, the right preparation must be done at home.
Eurocultura has developed a preparatory learning module with the aim for the participants to start and carry out successfully their traineeship and everyday life.

The learning module consists of the following elements:

• Group discussion (video conference – upon request): presentation of Vicenza and Eurocultura staff, objectives of work and life experience and traineeship presentation.
• One-to-one interview with the participant (video conference): educational background, skills and expectations regarding the traineeship company and the “Italian” lifestyle.
• Info emails about: language preparation for the interview in the traineeship company; travel details, occupational safety; work clothes, accommodation; etiquette at work and in Italian life.

According to the curriculum, motivational letter, and Skype interview with the participants, Eurocultura will select the right traineeship company in Vicenza. The selection criteria are: application of the participant’s professional skills; successful traineeship in the past; route between accommodation and company.

The company would like to know the participant through an interview within the first three days after arrival for final confirmation. The whole matching process and the interview preparation by Eurocultura ensure that the company confirms the traineeship.

The three-hour introduction seminar on the morning of the day after the arrival gives an overview of the most important moments of the traineeship and proceeds as follows:

• Introduction of the participants
• Goals and traineeship program in Vicenza
• Living in Vicenza
• Dealing with culture shock
• Interview in the company and traineeship
• Obligations and rights in the traineeship company
• Rules of behaviour in the accommodation
• Leisure activities and excursions
• Behaviour in an emergency (doctor, police, etc.)
• Eurocultura’s tutoring

The participants receive a brochure with all necessary information to have a successful experience abroad.
During the seminar, the participants sign the forms necessary for the execution of the traineeship. They refer to:

• Diffusion and processing of personal data (necessary for the preparation of the traineeship contract and for the employers’ liability insurance association)
• Eurocultura’s liability exclusion
• Declaration of special temporary residence (it is required to apply for a tax number at Vicenza tax office. This is necessary for the traineeship contract and it is automatically deleted after the end of the traineeship and it has no effect on the actual residence in the home country).

Eurocultura organises an interview in the company within three days after the arrival and according to the company’s availability. The company agrees in advance on the basis of the information and the skills of the trainee provided by Eurocultura but would also like to have its own picture of the person.

Eurocultura accompanies the participants to the interview, translates and gives support during the entire interview. A CV analysis, a pre-arrival Skype interview, and many years of cooperation with companies from every field enable Eurocultura to guarantee a successful matching between trainee and company, which is additionally confirmed by the company itself.

If both sides agree, Eurocultura makes the necessary registration and the traineeship begins on the following day.

A specific traineeship contract is signed between the participant, the company and Eurocultura containing information on working hours, company tutor, learning content and liability insurance for the participant.

According to the Italian Traineeship Act, Eurocultura signs a cooperation agreement with the company.

The contract must be signed in Italian in order to be valid. The participant will receive an English translation of the traineeship contract upon request.

Over the past 20 years thousands of participants have completed a traineeship in many Vicenza companies. Very few participants previously had knowledge of the Italian language. Some of them have completed a beginner language course at home or in Vicenza or they were assisted through the Online Linguistic Support provided by the Erasmus Plus system. In most of the cases successful traineeship and daily life have been achieved without knowledge of Italian.

Active communication through body language gestures and English help the participants to interact in Italian companies and in everyday life. The level of satisfaction among the participants confirms that.

The positive working atmosphere in our traineeship companies, the hospitality of our hosts and the friendliness and curiosity of the Italians towards foreigners are the reasons why the trainees, despite the lack of knowledge of Italian, do not feel out of place. Our video interviews with former trainees can also prove that.

Eurocultura also offers the opportunity to do a traineeship in English. A minimum level of B2 is required.

According to Italian law, trainees must prove they have participated in a course on “safety at work”. It is enough for the sending organization, the school or the company in the home country to confirm participation in a course on occupational safety according to the Eurocultura model. With regard to the applicable regulations in Italy, the trainees also receive from Eurocultura the brochure of the employers’ liability insurance association – INAIL (in English) – on “Safety at Work”

It is compulsory for the trainees to be insured by Eurocultura employers’ liability insurance association INAIL during the execution of the traineeship. The program price includes INAIL insurance costs.

Eurocultura guarantees several evaluation meetings within the program. The evaluation concerns traineeship, socio-cultural integration, accommodation and tutoring. In case of problems that cannot be solved on site, Eurocultura will inform the sending organization to decide how to proceed.

The trainee is subordinate to a company tutor who is responsible for the integration at the workplace and the learning content. The trainee must follow his/her instructions.
During the entire traineeship Eurocultura is available to solve any problems that may arise. A weekly consultation hour and, in serious cases, a 24-hour active emergency number are guaranteed.

In consultation with the sending organization, Eurocultura prepares a Europass certificate based on the agreed learning content. The sending organization must provide Eurocultura with the entry password.

The successful conclusion of the traineeship program in Vicenza is confirmed by Eurocultura with a certificate of participation.

If the traineeship lasts 6 weeks or longer, our companies usually release a letter of recommendation in Italian. The certificate can be translated into English upon request. Cost: 25.00 euros (to be paid on site to Eurocultura).

Minors can participate in the traineeship program, but their participation must be authorized by the parents. Eurocultura sends a bilingual authorization form to be signed by parents, which must be returned to Eurocultura at least 2 weeks before the start of the program as a .pdf file.

In rare cases it may be necessary to change the traineeship company. Eurocultura will organize an interview in a new company.

If the company change is due to inappropriate behaviour of the participant (e.g. frequent delays, inconsiderate behaviour, non-observance of occupational safety regulations…), Eurocultura reserves the right to cancel the program and to charge the termination costs listed under “Contract”.

The traineeship can be documented in two different ways for dissemination activities in the company of the home country:

1. Video interview with the participant
Eurocultura agrees on the questions with the sending organization and interviews the participant in a standard situation in Vicenza. Duration between 3 and 5 minutes.
2. Video “Living and Working in Vicenza”
Our video maker follows the participant in his everyday life, accommodation, and traineeship company. Questions agreed with the sending organization are asked to participant and the company tutor. Duration: between 3 and 5 minutes.

Costs upon request.

The non-smoking, self-catering accommodation is located in the urban area of Vicenza and can be easily reached by public transportation.
Dinner on the day of arrival and breakfast on the following day (“Italian style”) are guaranteed. Afterwards the participants are responsible for their own shopping.

The room has at least a bed, a bedside table, a wardrobe and a chair. 1 set of bed linen and towels are provided.
The fully equipped kitchen and bathroom are shared with other participants. Washing machine, microwave oven, hair dryer and WiFi are not always guaranteed.
The cost for electricity, water, heating (maximum temperature regulated by Italian law), garbage fees and tourist tax are included.

Rules  must be observed in each accommodation. The rules (e.g. use of common areas, cleaning of one’s room, visits exc.) are based on common sense, where duties and rights are balanced.

Non-smoking accommodation in a double room by Italian hosts is included in the standard price. The participants belong to the same group and to the same gender.
In case there is no more availability for double rooms, single rooms will be assigned.

A single room can be booked for a surcharge at the time of negotiation. Single participants can only book the accommodation in a single room.

Shared flats can be booked at an additional cost. The availability must be previously checked by Eurocultura. They are to be booked at the time of negotiation.

During the stay the participants are responsible for the cleanliness of the accommodation, both of their own rooms and the shared ones (kitchen, bathroom…). The accommodation must be handed over in a cleaned condition. A general cleaning of the accommodation, which is included in the program price, will be carried out before the occupancy.

As agreed with the sending organization, Eurocultura requests a security deposit of € 50.00 as security for damage or violations of applicable regulations. The regulations can be read here.
The deposit must be given Eurocultura the first day after the arrival. If the amount of damage is more than € 50.00, the difference must be paid by the participant to Eurocultura before departure. If there is no damage, the deposit will be fully refunded before departure.

In case of self-inflicted or unintentional damage to the accommodation, Eurocultura must be informed immediately. Eurocultura supports the participants and the sending organization with the damage settlement, which must be done before departure. The participants’ insurance must be involved.

If there is damage in a shared accommodation and the guilty parts cannot be determined, the costs will be shared among all residents.

Eurocultura reserves the right to charge a minimum fee of EUR 50.00 and a maximum of EUR 100.00.

Eurocultura is in no way responsible for damages caused by participants to people, animals or things in the company, accommodation and in everyday life.

At the beginning of the program the participants receive informative material including a list of general practitioners to contact or the emergency department of the local hospital “San Bortolo”.
Eurocultura’s 24/24-hour emergency number provides additional telephone support.

In case of special emergencies, Eurocultura accompanies the participants to the doctor examination or to the hospital. If the Eurocultura’s intervention is due to self-inflicted behaviour (e.g. alcohol abuse) or insignificant diseases (e.g. a cold), Eurocultura charges an expense allowance of at least EUR 50.00.

The participants in Erasmus+ or other transnational traineeship programs are obliged to have a 24-hour insurance cover for the entire duration of the program. This includes health, accident and liability insurance and is stipulated by the sending organization.
In case of liability insurance, possible damages in the traineeship company must also be included. These rules must also be applied in case of a contract between the participant and Eurocultura. The insurance’s name and contract number must be communicated to Eurocultura at least 8 weeks before the participants’ arrival.

As insurance company we recommend Dr. Walter PROTRIP-WORLD-H.

According to the law, the trainees in Italy must be insured by the Italian employers’ liability insurance association INAIL. This service is charged to Eurocultura and INAIL insurance costs are included in the program price.

In case of self-inflicted or unintentional damage to the accommodation, traineeship companies or in everyday life, Eurocultura must be informed immediately. Eurocultura supports the participant and the sending organization with the damage settlement, which must be done before departure. The participants’ insurance must be involved too.

If there is damage in a shared accommodation and the guilty parts cannot be determined, the costs will be shared among all residents.

Eurocultura reserves the right to charge a minimum fee of EUR 50.00 and a maximum of EUR 100.00.

Eurocultura is in no way responsible for damages caused by participants to people, animals or things in the company, accommodation and in everyday life.

To avoid further costs due to unpredictable incidents, we recommend taking out a travel cancellation insurance.

Eurocultura organizes cultural programs with city tours and excursions upon request. They are carried out in English, German and Spanish (additional languages at an additional cost).

At the beginning of the stay we kindly recommend a city tour of Vicenza with the aim for the participants to familiarize with the new city, its history and its leisure offer. The visit of the “Teatro Olimpico”, the oldest theatre in the world, is included in the city tour.

The uniqueness of Venice and Verona are a “must” during a stay in Vicenza. In less than an hour’s train ride participants can reach the Canal Grande in Venice or the Arena in Verona. Other tourist highlights are Padua, Bassano del Grappa or Lake Garda. Eurocultura helps the participants with the travel organization and provide useful tips. Excursions with a city tour guide in English, German and Spanish can be previously booked through Eurocultura. Additional languages are available upon request.

A language course can be booked (1 week= 20 hours, 45 minutes). It can be attended entirely in the first week of the stay or once a week. Participation certificate. Minimum number of participants: 4 people

Italian: when the program starts, we provide a “survival course” that focuses on very simple communicative situations with the host family, in the company and in everyday life. In case of a group, higher language levels can also be booked.

English: in case of an English-language traineeship, we offer a language level appropriate to the level of knowledge. Minimum number of participants: 4 people.

The participants should start learning the Italian language at home. The Erasmus + program provides an online language course.  The sending organization provides the necessary login data.

Further useful learning aids can be found here:
One World Italiano (online course with video and audio)
Italian mastery (youtube online course)
Tandem (language partner in several languages)

Eurocultura sends a budget proposal according to the wishes of the sending organization or the participant. A budget agreement is then signed by both sides. This phase should be completed at least 3 months before arrival in order to have the preparation and implementation organized on time.

The following services are included in the standard price (detailed description in the correlative sections):

• Preparation in the home country of the participant
• Traineeship company in Vicenza or the surrounding area
• Registration with responsible authorities (tax office)
• Accommodation in double room in Vicenza
• Evaluation of the stay
• Documents for program accounting (including Europass certificate)
• Half-day support of the sending organization during company visits in Vicenza
• English-speaking tutoring

Eurocultura can organize additional services upon request such as:

• Single room / own apartment
• Weekly or monthly tickets for public transport
• Cultural program
• Language course
• Airport transfer
• Pocket money

When the services have been set, the sending organization (or the participants) and Eurocultura sign a budget agreement listing the program price and services.

The sending organization shares the exact information for invoicing, including its own VAT number according to the European VIES VAT system.

The budget agreement defines the program type and costs. The invoice summarizes the individual cost items based on the tax regulations applicable in Italy.

Important: the cost agreement that has already been signed and stamped by Eurocultura must be returned within 30 days. Please pay attention to cancellation costs.

Travel expenses, accommodation costs, teaching materials and participation costs for vocational trainings abroad are tax-deductible as advertising costs. Check the current regulations with the tax office.

Surcharge is applied per week in high season. (calendar week 10 to calendar week 22, and calendar week 38 to calendar week 48).

• Up to 31 calendar days before arrival: free of charge
• 30 to 16 calendar days before arrival: 150.00 €
• 15 to 3 calendar days before arrival: 300.00 €
• up to 2 calendar days before arrival: the entire participation fee

If the participants interrupt the program after its start, the full costs will be charged. There is no reimbursement for early departure.
These costs also apply if Eurocultura is forced to end the program due to misconduct by the participant.

The precondition of the contract is that the sending organization or the participants take out an all-round insurance and inform Eurocultura of the insurance number. See also the insurance section (Health, accident and liability insurance).

If the group is accompanied by a tutor, Eurocultura can organize the accommodation in a host family (single room with self-catering), own apartment or hotel room upon request.

The tutor can meet regularly the group in Eurocultura’s office (by appointment) and is helped in organizing eventual excursions. A company visit is planned in the traineeship period and Eurocultura provides support and translation during the visit.

Costs upon request.

The standard price includes a half-day visit to the trainees in the company. Eurocultura accompanies the sending organization during the stay and organizes group meetings.

For other services (hotel, airport transfer, etc.) please ask for a cost estimate.