The Challenge: Fincantieri, one of the world’s largest shipbuilding companies, sought to expand its talent pipeline and provide hands-on opportunities for engineering students to work on real-world projects. The company aimed to expose students to the complexities of shipbuilding while benefiting from their technical expertise and fresh perspectives.
The Solution: Through UW–Madison’s Signature Internships program, Fincantieri hosted a group of UW–Madison engineering students at its headquarters in Trieste, Italy. The students took on roles in design engineering and project management, contributing to key aspects of Fincantieri’s shipbuilding operations, including ventilation system design and the management of large-scale cruise ship construction.
The program combined professional development with cultural immersion, offering students a rare opportunity to integrate technical learning in a global setting.
Quick Facts
Company: Fincantieri
Headquarters: Trieste, Italy
Wisconsin Operations: Shipyards in Marinette and Sturgeon Bay, WI
Employees in Wisconsin: 1,500
Industry: Shipbuilding
Global Presence: Operations in 20+ countries
Impact and Results: The partnership delivered significant value to both Fincantieri and UW–Madison students. For the company, the interns demonstrated strong technical skills and quickly adapted to the challenges of working on multi-billion-dollar projects. As Gabriele Librandi, Fincantieri’s manager for university and research, noted, his colleagues were impressed with how quickly the students grasped concepts and contributed meaningfully to the company’s work.
For UW–Madison, the program provided an opportunity to showcase the strength of its engineering education. Students gained invaluable hands-on experience and insights into global engineering practices, with their work being directly implemented by Fincantieri.
Fincantieri’s collaboration with UW–Madison highlights opportunity for students to make immediate real-world contributions. The partnership also demonstrates a commitment to fostering industry connections that address the customizable talent development options companies need to compete.
“Badger engineers come out well-equipped to hit the ground running because of the emphasis that we make on hands-on training.”
Russ Johnson, UW–Madison College of Engineering’s Director of Corporate Relations
Looking Ahead: Encouraged by the program’s success, Fincantieri plans to continue hosting UW–Madison interns and explore additional research partnerships. Future collaborations may focus on areas like human-robot collaboration and cybersecurity, advancing innovation in the shipbuilding industry while creating valuable opportunities for students.
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