Minrl and the PCTO program: growing together through art, sustainability & craftsmanship
At Minrl, we believe that knowledge is meant to be shared. Today, we’d love to tell you about a special experience we’re living through the PCTO program, an initiative promoted by the Italian Ministry of Education.
PCTO stands for “Percorsi per le Competenze Trasversali e per l’Orientamento”, or “Paths for Transversal Skills and Orientation.” It’s a program that connects high school students with real workplaces, allowing them to experience hands-on learning and explore their future with curiosity and purpose.
This year, we welcomed a talented student from the Liceo Artistico Preziosissimo Sangue in Monza, one of the most respected art high schools in the region. Over the past few weeks, she has had the opportunity to dive deep into our world, a world made of craftsmanship, sustainability, ethical metals, creativity, and care.
💎 An experience that leaves a mark
She learned about our core values, but also about the practical and deeper sides of our work:
– How we work with our suppliers
– The economics behind gold pricing and artisan labor
– The importance of sustainable choices
– How we use social media to tell our story
– The basics of traditional jewelry-making techniques
In the workshop, she experienced every step of the process: melting metals, creating gold and silver alloys, drawing wire, rolling sheet, soldering, refining, and polishing.
She even completed a full ring project, simple in form, but rich in knowledge, where she applied everything she had learned: from melting to shaping, soldering, and final polishing. A small object, full of big meaning.
🎨 Art that tells a story
And there’s more. Thanks to her strong artistic skills and deep knowledge of illustration, she’s also helping us create visual storytelling for some of our pieces.
Her drawings, made with a mix of pastels, water-colour, gouache, and other traditional techniques, are beautifully aligned with the spirit of Minrl: natural, expressive, poetic.
Watching her work has been a joy. And even more, seeing how much she is taking away from this journey: a new perspective on making, learning, and imagining the future.
🧡 A path that enriches everyone
This is not our first time with the PCTO program, two years ago, we hosted another brilliant student, curious and passionate in her own way.
We truly believe this kind of exchange is a mutual opportunity. It allows us to pass on our vision and our know-how and in return, we’re reminded why we do what we do: to leave a trace, to build something meaningful beyond the object itself.
💬 Have you had similar experiences?
Are you a school, a business, or a student who has taken part in a project like this? We’d love to hear your thoughts, what worked? what could be improved? and how to make these programs even more valuable for everyone involved?
Feel free to share your story in the comments or drop us a message.
Because growing together will always be the most meaningful project.
