Welcome & Goodbye Day: The City thanks its young talents

On Tuesday, 29 July 2025, in the main auditorium of the USI-SUPSI campus in Viganello, the fifth edition of the Welcome & Goodbye Day was held, the event that the City of Lugano dedicates to interns and apprentices who are beginning or completing their training with the Municipal Administration.

To open the day, all personnel in training attended the forum-theatre performance “Il resto manca,” promoted by the Cantonal Social Support Section and staged by the UHT company.

A warm tribute was then paid to Giacomo Pelazzi, a staff member of the Human Resources Division who recently retired; until last March he headed the Training unit.

The event was also attended by the Mayor, Michele Foletti, who, in his speech, reaffirmed the City’s commitment to apprenticeships and, more generally, to vocational education and training. Since 2020, the number of positions available across the various professions has increased, with the prospect of reaching an offer of up to 50 positions. The Mayor also thanked the newly graduated women and men for the contribution they gave during their training and professional paths and offered particular praise to the practical instructors.

During an interview conducted by Simona Gamba, a colleague at Lugano Living Lab, the City’s urban innovation laboratory, the Mayor and Roberta Cattaneo, Regional Director of the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) for the Southern Region, informally retraced their own educational and professional growth, sharing anecdotes and offering valuable advice to the girls and boys in attendance.

Next, the young people were invited on stage for the presentation of the end-of-training certificates and to welcome those about to embark on the new journey. In addition to City-branded goodies, each person received an LVGA prize redeemable within the MyLugano network and a complimentary ticket, offered by the Agorateca, to attend film series. The young women who achieved the best grade point average were also awarded a City cultural voucher.

The day concluded with an aperitif offered by the City and catered by the SOTELL association.

In the photo below, Mayor Michele Foletti and Roberta Cattaneo, Regional Director of Swiss Federal Railways (SBB).

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