Moke 60°

Ancap and the San Zeno Institute: creativity and education synergy on display at Triestespresso 2024

The collaboration between Ancap and the San Zeno Institute continues: young talents adorn the iconic Espressina Carina. Professor Salzani's explains.

Collaboration between companies and educational institutions is a key element in training new generations and preparing them for the world of work. It is with this spirit that the partnership between Ancap, a leading company in Made in Italy porcelain, and the San Zeno Salesian Institute in Verona came about.

A concrete training experience through which the fifth-year students on the graphic design course were able to adorn the iconic Espressina Carina with 18 new decorations to celebrate the company's 60th anniversary, celebrated in June 2024. A synergy that highlights the constant commitment to enhancing the creativity and talent of the new generations while paying homage to one of the most iconic devices in Italian coffee culture.

As Professor Salzani from the San Zeno Institute said, “The San Zeno Institute and Ancap are both committed to training young people and promoting innovation; a shared vision that has created fertile ground for collaboration and fostered the creation of worthwhile projects. It all stems from the desire to build a bridge between the worlds of education and work by offering students the chance to apply their acquired knowledge in a real-world context and develop professional skills that can be put into practice in today's constantly evolving job market.”

The value of experience in the field: educational and technical growth
Through this collaboration, students had the opportunity to try their hand at designing and engineering products such as moka coffee pots, applying both technical and creative skills. During the project, students refined the use of graphic design software, learned how to manage production processes, and developed crucial soft skills such as teamwork, time management and problem-solving.

“Watching my students apply themselves to the creative process of designing mokas was a rewarding experience. They met the challenge with enthusiasm and dedication, demonstrating a remarkable ability to work as a team, listen to customer needs and translate ideas into concrete designs. They experienced the entire process, from the initial research and brainstorming, to the creation of sketches and prototypes, to the final presentation. Along the way, they also learned how to handle constructive criticism and refined their communication skills. Seeing the projects actually produced is certainly highly satisfying but not comparable to how the youngsters feel on seeing their ideas come to fruition,” Salzani pointed out.

The new mokas: from the students’ ideas to the market.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of this collaboration is seeing the students' ideas become real products ready to be put on the market,” Salzani continued.

In fact, the decorations are not only examples of creative and technical excellence, but also a symbol of a real opportunity given to young people by allowing them not only to come into contact with the world of work and improve their skills, but also to understand company dynamics.

Students became familiar with the constraints and possibilities that different printing materials and processes offer and, by working on a real project, understood the importance of correctly interpreting the client's requirements and adapting their work accordingly.

“A journey of learning, experimentation and passion lies behind every design. The mokas in this case become symbols of a positive message, an investment in the younger generation. Indeed, collaborations such as this offer valuable work-oriented guidance by allowing students to understand what skills are required and how to apply theory in a practical context. [...] I believe that the mokas obtained from this collaboration can attract an audience that is attentive to the design, quality and story behind the objects they choose. An audience that appreciates the originality and freshness of young people's ideas and that wants to support projects that enhance the creativity and efforts of the new generations,” Salzani concluded.