Hello ChromeSparks77
Maybe I reply you a bit late but my story can probably help you and other designers to know the working situation in Italy.
I think it’s very difficult to work as car designer in Italy.
Salary are very low from other location - very small and old apartments (mid 70s) - life quality is not really good. As fashion and design capital it’s very disappointing! Oh yes do not forget the extremely expensive gasoline…Life so far from ideal life of designer…
About my experience I’ve worked at coachbuilder in Milan. Before arriving I had a nice speech, exceptional opportunity, exceptional working conditions … But impossible to know the proposed salary. In times of economic/automobile crisis and very poor offers on the market I was afraid of missing this opportunity and I’ve accepted.
Result … proposed salary 1200€
No organization, working with extremely old equipment(purple Intuos2, photoshop CS2,….).
We were constantly under pressure but we didn’t have the means to do a good job. Today all the team team has leave the company…. (remind yourself to the nice speech above)
I think it’s really important to have a good team and minimum good living conditions to be effective at work, particularly in the design. Earn a salary equivalent to those without years of study and live in an apartment of 25m2 with style of 70’s, trying to not spend too much money at supermarket isn’t easy, not motivating. Other car designers friends have the same problems and seek a solution to leave Italy.
I’m really disappointed about this experience and the disaster of this country. I am a fan of Italian cars, but today the situation is unfortunately dramatic as economic than automotive. FIAT group produce bad car and has killed Lancia’s Alfa’s; the rest disappeared as Bertone or became the property of Germans