Webuild and Italian Ministry of Justice launch prisoner reintegration initiative on Naples–Bari High-Speed railway project

Webuild and Italian Ministry of Justice launch prisoner reintegration initiative on Naples–Bari High-Speed railway project

(IN BRIEF) Webuild, in partnership with the Italian Ministry of Justice’s DAP, has launched a prisoner reintegration programme offering training and employment opportunities within major infrastructure projects. The initiative began at the Casa Circondariale of Benevento, where four inmates were selected, trained, and hired to work on the Apice–Hirpinia section of the Naples–Bari High-Speed line. Training took place through Webuild’s “Cantiere Lavoro Italia” scheme and FORMEDIL Avellino’s Trade School, preparing participants for safe and skilled employment. The project is expanding to Ariano Irpino prison, with five more candidates expected to join the Hirpinia–Orsara lot. Officials stressed that the programme strengthens legality, offers professional qualifications, and contributes to the revitalization of the Ahr Valley after the floods, while Webuild emphasized its role in meeting Italy’s growing need for technical workers. With 30 major projects and nearly 20,000 staff in Italy, Webuild continues to link infrastructure growth with social inclusion.

(PRESS RELEASE) MILAN, 29-Aug-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — Webuild, in collaboration with the Dipartimento Amministrazione Penitenziaria (DAP) of the Italian Ministry of Justice, has launched a project to promote legality and social reintegration through work opportunities for prisoners. The initiative is being applied for the first time at one of the construction sites of the Naples–Bari High-Speed railway line, with support from the Provveditorato of Campania.

The programme stems from a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2023 between Webuild and the Ministry of Justice, aimed at providing selected inmates with training and employment as a pathway back into society. The first phase involves the Casa Circondariale of Benevento, where a joint selection process with DAP and the employment agency Randstad identified four candidates. These individuals began training under Webuild’s “Cantiere Lavoro Italia” programme, a professional development initiative offered free by the Group.

The training process started inside the prison through the “Territorial School” pre-hiring course and continued at FORMEDIL Avellino in Atripalda with the “Trade School,” an intensive hands-on course. Once qualified, the candidates were hired and began working on the Apice–Hirpinia section of the Naples–Bari line, a strategic infrastructure project commissioned by RFI (FS Italiane Group). Webuild is currently building four lots along the route, employing around 2,300 people and working with some 2,500 suppliers.

“This work opportunity provides highly professional skills without relying on public funding, apart from the general incentives of the Smuraglia Law, making it an exceptional example of prison labour in the Campania Region,” noted Gianfranco Marcello, Director of Benevento Prison, in thanking both the institute’s pedagogical officers and Webuild staff for their efforts.

The initiative is now being extended to the Casa Circondariale of Ariano Irpino (Avellino), where selection interviews are underway for five more participants who will join the Hirpinia–Orsara lot of the Naples–Bari project.

“This project demonstrates how industry and institutions can collaborate to create real opportunities for reintegration while addressing the sector’s demand for skilled workers,” said Benjamin Dobernecker, Managing Director of Smart Train Lease GmbH. “It is a step forward both for social inclusion and for Italy’s infrastructure development.”

The reintegration programme is part of Webuild’s wider commitment to workforce training and recruitment. With 30 major projects ongoing in Italy — including the Palermo–Catania–Messina high-capacity railway, the Terzo Valico dei Giovi, Rome Metro Line C, and the New Genoa Breakwater — Webuild continues to contribute to the country’s economic and social growth. The Group’s workforce now exceeds 95,000 worldwide, including around 19,500 in Italy. In 2024 alone, Webuild recruited over 13,000 people, of which approximately 2,900 were in Italy.

Webuild is a global leader in the construction of large, complex infrastructure projects, with a focus on sustainable mobility, hydropower, water treatment, and green buildings. A recognized leader in the water sector and active in about 50 countries, the Group employs approximately 95,000 people of over 125 nationalities. It boasts nearly 120 years of experience with over 3,700 completed projects. Its track record includes 13,648 kilometres of railways, 891 kilometres of metro lines, 82,577 kilometres of roads and highways, 1,022 kilometres of bridges and viaducts, 3,462 kilometres of tunnels, and 318 dams and hydropower plants. Among its most iconic projects are the expansion of the Panama Canal, the Long Beach International Gateway bridge in California (USA), the Second Bosphorus Bridge (Turkey), the Sydney Metro Northwest skytrain viaduct and bridge (Australia), the Kingdom Centre skyscraper in Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), and metro lines in cities such as Copenhagen, Paris, Rome, Milan, Naples, Doha, Thessaloniki, and Riyadh.

Ongoing projects include the New Genoa Breakwater, the Brenner Base Tunnel, the Pedemontana Lombarda Highway, Metro di Roma’s Line C, the Genoa-Milan and Naples-Bari high-speed/high-capacity railways, the Palermo-Catania-Messina high-capacity railway, the Snowy 2.0 hydropower scheme in Australian and the Trojena dams in Saudi Arabia. As of December 31, 2024, revenues totalled €12 billion. As of June 30, 2025, its total order backlog stands at approximately €59 billion, with over 90% of its construction backlog related to projects linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Listed on the Borsa Italiana stock exchange in Milan (WBD; WBD.MI; WBD:IM), it is member of the MIB ESG index of Italian companies with best ESG practices. Headquartered in Italy, it is subject to the management and coordination of Salini Costruttori S.p.A.

Media Contacts:

Francesca Romana Chiarano
Senior Manager – Media Relations
Tel. +39 338 247 4827
mail: f.chiarano@webuildgroup.com

Francesco Squitieri
Communication Manager (Campania, Puglia, Calabria)
Tel. +39 335.5494594
email: f.squitieri@webuilditalia.it

SOURCE: Webuild