Luca Calderara, Content Marketing, Fondazione AGIRE

To help current students and recent graduates navigate the world of work, several USI Alumni shared their career paths and career story. Here the story of Luca Calderara, Content Marketing in Fondazione AGIRE in Lugano (CH). USI Degree: Master in Media Management, 2021.

How did you start your career?

Towards the end of my Master's program, thanks to the USI Career Service newsletter, I found an internship at Fondazione Agire, the innovation agency of Canton Ticino. Later, I did another short internship at a well-known car dealership in Lugano and then landed my first full-time job at Casino Lugano SA.

Why did you choose a career in Fondazione AGIRE?

I immediately seized the opportunity to come back to work at Fondazione Agire, where I had already done a 1-year internship, as I had found the work environment extremely interesting, stimulating and dynamic. It also fits best with my plan to focus my career more in the area of institutional communication.

What is your current role/duties?

I am mainly involved in managing digital communication on websites and social media, creating content and strategies for our digital channels. I also assist in organizing in-person events and webinars and write press releases and articles for magazines and media. Finally, I cooperate in defining the communication and marketing strategy.

In your opinion, what are the qualities necessary for a successful career in Fondazione AGIRE?

As in any work environment, being curious and willing to continue to learn and grow is key. In particular, as we work in the innovation environment, keeping abreast of what are emerging trends and understanding if and how they can be implemented in the company is crucial. Finally, the willingness to take responsibility and collaborate even in areas that may go outside of one's own is crucial since we are a small company, yet faced with major players at the cantonal and national level.

What positive aspects and qualities meant most to you during the study programme you attended?

I really appreciated the variety of courses offered and the possibility of choosing several elective courses in a dedicated semester, as it allows students to complete their curriculum by also delving into areas complementary to one's specific pathway. In addition, I really appreciated the direct relationship with the lecturers and fellow students and the different individual and group projects offered, which are essential to apply in practice the theory learned during the courses.

What competences and/or skills acquired in your USI Study Program have been useful/are useful to your professional career?

Beyond the theoretical skills, which are obviously fundamental and still come in handy to me in the professional environment, I believe that the most valuable skills gained during my studies at USI are the soft skills developed through the individual and group assignments proposed in the various courses. In fact, they help students develop soft skills that are fundamental in the professional environment such as the ability to meet deadlines, organize work and work in a team.

What is your advice to USI students entering the job market?

I would suggest them to believe in the process and would tell them that every career path has its milestones, its ups and downs, and its time to develop. I would tell them to seize the opportunities presented to them and try to figure out what professional path they want to take and once they figured it out, follow it with determination and confidence in their own means.