Italy's Ministry of Culture announces recruitment of 1,052 guards for cultural sites

The Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage (Mibac), led by Minister Alberto Bonisoli, has announced a competition to recruit 1,052 guards for state cultural sites, including museums, parks, historical palaces, and monuments. The call is expected to be published in the official gazette on August 9, 2019. Candidates with a high school diploma are eligible, and the role includes visitor reception, basic English, and providing historical-artistic information. This is part of a broader plan to hire approximately 5,400 new professionals during the first part of the legislature, addressing severe staff shortages due to years of insufficient turnover. Bonisoli emphasized that previous ministers failed to tackle this issue, leading to inadequate management of cultural heritage. A separate competition for 250 administrative officials is also planned. The article also criticizes Bonisoli's use of Five Star Movement branding on official communications, blurring institutional and party lines.