Writing by hand for profession: the “Technician of the sign” was born in Friuli Venezia Giulia

In the world of touch and digital, writing by hand may seem like a gesture out of time. And instead, precisely in 2025, what for centuries has been a form of daily expression returns with a new momentum: not only in the classrooms, but even in the labor market. To mark the step is Friuli Venezia Giulia, the first region in Italy (perhaps in the world) to officially recognized the professional figure of the “Technician of the sign”calligraphy expert enabled to teach the art of manual writing in primary and secondary schools.

A turning point that has the roots in the ten -year work of the Scriptorium Foroiuliense of San Daniele del Friuli Foundationin the province of Udine, now accredited as First Italian school capable of training this new professional figure. This was confirmed by the president of the scriptorium, Roberto Marrano: “It is certainly the first experience of this type in our country”, he says, “in which a regional law (n.7/2025, art. 95) authorizes a writing school to provide qualifying training in the context of permanent learning. And as far as I know it is a first time worldwide, at least if we talk about western writing systems. This is the crowning of over five years of work of the Foundation in which the “scriptorium method” was developed to re -notice to write by handability less and less widespread but in reality fundamental for cognitive development and learning ».

The new profile has been included in the repertoire of regional qualifications, an important step also on the level of employability, as the Councilor for Education of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Alessia Rosolen: «This means not only increase the employability of the population of working age Through the update of knowledge and skills, but also to enhance and preserve the artistic knowledge and peculiarities of our territory of which the Scriptorium Foroiuliense, which forms people from all over the world for years, is an example “.

And he adds: «In an increasingly technologically advanced world, calligraphy is now more alive than ever among the digital natives passionate about classical and hi-tech writing. With the introduction of this professional qualification we intend to give answers to those who aspire to find job opportunities in A sector that is knowing new variations and new fields of application».

But there is also a pedagogical and training value that goes far beyond writing: “It should not be forgotten that the institution of this qualification is foresight also with respect to what children for a functional and harmonious growth is needed».

Who is the technician of the sign and what does he do

The technician of the sign is a hybrid and innovative figure. He will be able to work alongside teachers in schools, introducing children and young people to the art of calligraphywith particular attention to those who present learning disorders. But it will also be a transversal pedagogical facilitator: hand writing, in fact, proves to be Useful in enhancing concentration, memory, organization of thought, verbal expression, understanding of texts, posture and fine motor skills.

The formation will be curated by the Scriptorium Foroiuliense, who is building a mixed teaching staff: on the one hand, Calligrafi masters already trained in San Daniele, on the other teachers of the humanistic area who will take care of the modules related to school teaching. The regional administration, with the support of technical assistance, is at work to define training standards and skills to be included in the repertoire. The route will end with the issue of the professional qualification of Technician of the signspent in educational and cultural contexts.

Born in 2012 as a cultural association and transformed into a foundation in 2023, lo Scriptorium foroiuliense It is a unique place of its kind. Dedicated to teaching the arts of writing and ancient book, it organizes courses, manufactures personalized manuscripts requested from all over the world, and manages the opipificium librorum, a real factory in the medieval book open to visits by reservation. Over the years he has built a solid international network, with collaborations ranging from the University of Udine to those of insufficia, Toronto, and recently also Tokyo. A cultural microcosm that now looks to the future with a new ambition: make a contemporary, useful and alive job by hand.