Prada is investing heavily in its production. The Italian luxury group will recruit more than 400 people by the end of the year, including 200 from its own training school, to strengthen its manufacturing capacity in Italy, particularly in the central regions of Umbria, Tuscany and Marche, especially in the leather goods and footwear sectors.

As explained in a press release, the company wishes to "increase its production capacity to support the growth highlighted by the company's recent results." The latter has seen its turnover increase by 25% in 2022, to 4.2 billion euros, while its net profit has jumped by 58% to 465 million euros. 

"The aim is to give the group greater autonomy and flexibility to respond to market demands. Today, quality control of all raw materials, finished products and logistics are already managed internally," underlines Prada, whose development strategy foresees "an investment plan to expand its own structures, but also to enlarge its training capacities and insertion of new resources aimed at enriching internal manufacturing skills."

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The company, which has 13,140 employees, including 5,300 in Italy, created its own school in 2000, the Prada Group Academy, which has trained 240 people to date under the aegis of its master craftsmen. Now it is stepping up a gear with plans to train 200 in a single year. The programme has been expanded to include no less than seventeen apprenticeship modules, covering the various trades of leather goods, footwear and clothing. The training will take place from April to December and should therefore enable Prada to integrate the 200 young people enrolled this year into the company by the end of 2023.

The group intends to hire nearly 100 people, particularly in the leather goods division of its Scandicci factory near Florence, which should see its workforce grow by 50%. In Torgiano, in the province of Perugia, a major expansion of its hosiery division is also planned, with 85 new hires, while other hires will be made at various leather goods, footwear and clothing sites.