Religious trade corporations

The guilds were the first aggregations on professional basis, but committed to saints’ worship, whose aim was to give mutual help to ill, injured or fallen into disgrace partners. The brotherhood of masons and carpenters appeared in Udine at the end of the 14th century, although the first known Statutes date back to 1496: these craftsmen gathered in the school of S. Sebastiano and S. Fabiano, around a chapel dedicated to S. Sebastiano in the Convent of S. Francesco in Udine.

Workers’ societies

After Italy’s unification, workers’ societies - popular organizations for the assistance to laborers - were created all over the nation. Here are some dates of establishment in Friuli: Udine 1866 - Cividale 1869 - San Daniele 1870 - Spilimbergo 1871 - Gemona 1875 - Codroipo 1878 - 1881 Latisana and Tolmezzo. With the support of the workers’ societies, many night and festive schools were created in the second half of the 19th century, in order to educate laborers to the various professions. Since 1866 there was a school of design for laborers, founded by the workers’ society in Udine. Many schools were active in winter only, when the migrants came back home.

Trade unions

During the second half of the 19th century the first trade unions began their work of assistance to the migrants. The birth of official Unions dates back to the first years of the 20th century. Since 1972 the construction unions FILCA, FILLEA and FeNEAL are reunited under Federazione Unitaria degli Edili.

Employers’ and artisans’ organizations

1943 - establishment of the National Association of Italian Construction Workers - ANCI (National Association of Construction Workers -ANCE since 1946) in Naples. 1946 - Establishment of both General Confederation of Italian Artisans (“Confartigianato”) and CNA (National Confederation of Artisans for small and medium-sized companies).

Foundation of CEMA

The agreement for the constitution of Cassa Edile di Mutualità ed Assistenza della Provincia di Udine (Construction Workers Fund Udine - CEMA) was signed on July 23rd 1949 thanks to the mediation of Archimede Taverna and Eldo Feruglio, key figures of the regional construction scene.

The school sector of CEMA

Together with mutualistic and assistance aspects, construction training in the school sector was one of the fundamental elements of Construction Workers Fund right from the beginning. Yard schools in the post war period were very important because they lead students to work on the territory.

The construction school: ESMEA and CEFS

The management of the professional training inside Construction Workers Fund went on thanks to the work of the school sector until 1983, when CEMA decided to grant independence and dedicated spaces to formation. So they founded ESMEA (Ente Scuola Maestranze Edili ed Affini - Construction school), which became CEFS (Centro Edile per la Formazione e la Sicurezza) in 2008, putting together professional formation and safety issues in the building trade.

CEFS - The School of Construction in Udine

As stated above, since 1949, for more than 30 years, professional training in construction was managed internally by the Cassa Edile (Construction Fund Foundation), in its school department. In 1983 the Cassa Edile founded ESMEA (Ente Scuola Maestranze Edili ed Affini -Workforce and Allied Construction Training Corporation). In 2008 ESMEA became CEFS (Centro Edile per la Formazione e Sicurezza - Construction Centre for Training and Safety), dealing with both professional training in construction and safety.

Construction in 2000

New challenges unfolded in construction at the start of the new millennium. Construction workers today must adapt their dynamism and reactivity to new requirements of the profession and be able to respond to the continual innovation of the market; materials and technology in constant evolution, workplaces which are never completely planned out, the understanding and management of executive projects, constant updates of new requirements in construction, from energy certification to plant design, from domotics to bio-construction. If yesterday physical fatigue was one of the characterizing traits of the trade, today this has been resolved, mostly, by the use of machinery. The challenge now is to be able to use the new machinery and technology with expertise on the construction site.

Youth Training - Construction Worker

At CEFS there is a 3 year “hands-on” course targeted at youngsters from the ages of 14-18, with the aim of immediate admission into the construction sector after having acquired the professional qualification, or to be admitted to the 4th year of a Technical Institute.

Superior Training continues

CEFS organizes short basic post-diploma, post-degree and technical college qualification courses for adults, employed or unemployed and/or people in disadvantaged situations.

Training and Counselling in Safety

CEFS offers training to construction companies and workers in the subjects of health, safety and prevention of accidents in the workplace.