The European capital of culture will host the 19th edition of the games from 17 to 19 September and, together with RGI, is working to reduce talent shortage in the IT industry.
Italy has no shortage of outstanding cultural heritage, but Matera stands out for its history dating back to the Neolithic origins and, most recently for conquering the title of European capital of culture. The role implies hosting a number of initiatives covering a paced program throughout 48 weeks of activities. From January 19 to December 19, the city most known for its Sassi, Neolithic caves, many still inhabited today, will host exhibitions, shows, public installations, conferences, visits for tourists and historical insights.
Less known to the general public, but still full of meaning, is that this year Matera is also home tos the national final of the Italian Informatics Olympic games, from 17 to 19 September at the Giovanni Battista Pentasuglia high school. A way to keep high attention on the issues of information technology, focusing on the next generation of talented students.
Started as an experiment in 2000, the Italian branch of the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI) is now an annual tradition for over 500 high schools throughout the country. The competition is promoted by the Ministry of Education and the Italian association for Informatics and automatic calculation.
And every year, after a first selection at the local level, almost 100 students take part to the final phase, in three intense days of actual competitions, cultural insights and recreational activities. One of the added values of the event is that it represents an opportunity to identify and recognize the worth of excellent students, with a positive impact on the whole educational system.
Why should a corporation like RGI be partner of the Italian Olympiad of Informatics? The answer is quickly told. As well known, scientific disciplines represent a strategic value both for research and for professional training of young students. In this perspective, the Olympic games in Informatics – wherever they are held in the world – bring out the talents and prepare students for their future. Leading this competition means being an excellence already projected towards the future of information technology.
In a social context in which we are witnessing a problematic talent shortage in the IT sector, stimulating the study of these disciplines and recognizing the most promising profiles is a value but also a strategic operation. The best professionals, in fact, will be very desired in the labor market, since the vacant jobs in IT are estimated to become a few millions within a decade. Therefore, in addition to the talent scouting, it is important to appear attractive, and above all to support boys and girls when they are still taking their first steps into the world of computer science. All this explains the choice of RGI to be a copartner of the Italian Olympiad of Informatics, and to do so in a place that is undoubtedly full of history but, in addition to the world famous Sassi di Matera, is now looking at the future of employment, of scientific culture and of technology.
