The Tissue Valley embraces the future with Tissue Planet – NextGen

Over 450 students gathered at Real Collegio to explore companies and educational institutions

Hundreds of students gathered for the first edition of Tissue Planet – NextGen, held on May 15 at the historic Real Collegio in Lucca. Born from Toscotec’s vision and developed in close collaboration with Sofidel and Gambini, the initiative saw the participation of about 450 students – including upcoming high school and university graduates. This impressive turnout highlights the strong interest among the younger generation in the career and development opportunities offered by Lucca’s paper manufacturing district.

Building on the framework of Tissue Planet – Future Insights™, the event was shaped by listening directly to the students themselves through targeted surveys across schools and universities. The initiative was tailored specifically to meet the real guidance needs of young people, placing them at the center of a direct, practical, and authentic narrative about the industry.

The event opened with a keynote address by Raffaele Gaito, an author and content creator specializing in technological innovation and AI. Leading the audience in a reflection on the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the job market, he focused on the importance of soft skills and the concept of "learning to learn." Transversal skills and mental flexibility were highlighted as key tools to successfully navigate change and to prepare for the professions of the future.

Then, a roundtable about the Tissue sector took place, where six young managers shared their career paths, corporate values, and daily experiences within the region's leading industrial companies. The conversation featured Elisa Bertolucci – Fiber Systems Engineering Manager at Toscotec; Giorgio Simoncini – Strategic Planning, Insurance and M&A Specialist at Lucart, Simone Guidi – Pro/Care Team Leader & Project Engineering Manager at Fosber, Matteo Lucarelli – Production Supervisor at Gambini, Federico Vannini – Head of Operations & Plant Manager at Sofidel, Ginevra Napoli, Pre-Sales Director at Akeron.

Afterward, the event transitioned into the career day itself. Real Collegio became a hub for networking, allowing attendees to engage directly with 12 leading companies and various academic institutions. Alongside the promoters, Toscotec, Sofidel, and Gambini, participating companies include Cartiere Carrara, Cartografica Galeotti, Essity, EuroVast, Lucart, Wepa, Fosber, Lucense, and Akeron. The presence of educational and training institutions was also vital, including ITS Prime, Università di Pisa Career Service, Unipi Scuola di Ingegneria, Unipi Chimica & Chimica Industriale, Unipi Economia & Management, IMT, Bocconi, SDA Bocconi.

“The Tissue industry is now a global and digitalized sector. With this event, we wanted to show the younger generation the opportunities available in the industry and provide them with the tools they need to prepare for the challenges of the future.” – Alessandro Mennucci, CEO of Toscotec

The initiative, held under the patronage of the Municipality of Lucca and Confindustria Toscana Nord, places the next generation at the heart of a premier project that is vital for the region’s competitiveness and future employment prospects.