The Assoil School in Viggiano, Basilicata

In January 2011 the Assets and Services Sector of Assomineraria (the Italian association of the mining industry) and 16 of its member companies set up the Assoil School (Advanced Skills for Services in Oil and Gas Industry School).

Working closely with companies, local institutions and the leading partners in the sector, the Association is engaged in developing a training project that aims to become a cultural reference point for the entire Mediterranean area able also to attract international participation.

The structure has been operating since 1 June 2011 in the Val d'Agri, in the Viggiano industrial zone, the location of Italy's largest onshore hydrocarbon reservoirs. The Assoil School is a permanent structure open to associate companies as well as non-members who can use the centre for the training and requalification their personnel and to recruit new human resources with the necessary skills for the development of their offer of services to local, national and international markets.

Inauguration
On 9 September 2011, the Assoil School inaugurated its Viggiano centre and organised an exhibition of the technologies used by oil and gas services companies.  The event attracted wide interest and the attention of the regional, provincial and municipal authorities of the Agri area.

Since the inauguration, a number of young people have gone to the Assoil School seeking information about the courses and through interviews made among companies in the sector and indications provided by the young people who went to the school, a picture of the training requirements of the area has been drawn up and training activities will commence in November 2011.

partnership
The Assoil School is involved in the project promoted by the Regional Council of Basilicata called "Ponte per l'Occupazione". The association is open to all those who share its mission and, as a result, partnerships are currently being defined with: the University of Basilicata, the fire brigade, INAIL, Eni Corporate University, the Istituto di Saldatura in Genoa, Confindustria Basilicata, trade unions, the Italian Red Cross, ARPAB, ANIMP, the LOG Basilicata network, Sviluppo Basilicata, the AASTER consortium, "Studiare Sviluppo", the Ministry of Education.

Eni in Basilicata
In 2007, in collaboration with the AASTER research consortium and the FEEM, ENI launched in Basilicata the "Missione di Comunità" project, in the Val D'Agri and Val Camastra areas.