Pompeii: practical internships for Botticino Restoration School students

Pompeii: practical internships for the Botticino Restoration School

A new internship program has started in Pompeii for students enrolled in the Restoration of Cultural Heritage degree at the Botticino Restoration School. The initiative is a collaboration between the Archaeological Park of Pompeii, Ales S.p.A. and Valore Italia, placing trainees directly within active excavation sites.

The first working group, made up of two students, has begun monitoring and maintenance tasks on decorative surfaces and structural elements in the excavation areas.

Program highlights:

• Participants: 14 trainees in total.
• Cycle length: each internship is organized in 7-week cycles.
• Hours: 250 hours per trainee.
• Supervision: tutors and technicians from Ales S.p.A. together with park staff.
• Hands-on tasks: monitoring, scheduled maintenance, and interventions on plasters, frescoes and mosaics.

The project effectively turns Pompeii into an open-air classroom: students work alongside experienced professionals, developing technical skills, observational ability and operational responsibility necessary for heritage conservation.

The supporting team is multidisciplinary, involving archaeologists, architects, restorers, engineers and specialized workers to ensure an integrated approach to site conservation and maintenance.

This training initiative reinforces the Archaeological Park of Pompeii's role as a centre for conservation, research and professional education, providing students with practical field experience.