Parliamentary assistant, what he does, how much he earns and how to become one

In Italy you can start your career path in politics in different ways.
You don't necessarily have to be the face of a party, but you can also fill the position of parliamentary assistant or more commonly known as "bag carrier".
Becoming a parliamentary assistant requires different and in-depth skills.
The parliamentary assistant is in fact a figure with important tasks and requires great commitment.
There are several requirements required to occupy this position, in addition to technical skills, behavioral skills are also required such as being positive, conveying trust and being well prepared for teamwork.
This is because there are no specific duties or a precise definition for the parliamentary assistant.
In Italy, in fact, the parliamentary collaborator (parliamentary assistant or bag holder) supports a politician in various tasks, from compiling dossiers, to producing documents, up to external and internal relations.
It is an all-round job that involves the parliamentary assistant in secretarial, consultancy and management and coordination tasks in the office.
A parliamentary assistant in Italy can have a contract ranging from 500 to 1,200 euros per month, much depends on the contract, the number of parliamentary collaborators the deputy has and the tasks he carries out.
Here's how to become a parliamentary assistant and how much you earn on average with this job.
read also How much does a parliamentary assistant in the Senate earn? Salary and duties Parliamentary assistant: what a bagman does and what requirements he must have The parliamentary assistant is a figure who supports the deputy in the House or Senate with various tasks, even quite demanding and wide-ranging ones.
In Italy the role of "bag holder", i.e.
parliamentary collaborator or parliamentary assistant, is not entirely regulated.
Unlike the European parliamentary collaborator, the parliamentary assistant in Italy also supports a politician in a form of voluntary work.
The tasks include tasks such as drafting reports, preparing files, managing email and diary, welcoming internal and external delegations to Parliament, organizing trips, meetings, meetings with institutions and much more.
For all these tasks that have to do with the secretariat, consultancy and office management, a good parliamentary assistant must also have behavioral skills such as great flexibility and the ability to convey confidence and positivity.
Among the skills required there is training, which however can vary from collaborator to collaborator depending on the tasks required of them.
However, it may be useful to have a degree in International Relations or Political Science.
Generally, it can also be useful to have IT, economic, social, legal or other skills that allow you to develop organizational and dialogue skills with institutions, bodies and businesses.
The latest call for scholarship holders contains the following requirements: Italian citizenship; age not exceeding 40 years; physical suitability for the tasks; natural or corrected vision of at least 16 tenths overall; total natural or corrected hearing function of at least 80%; ambulatory function that does not require orthopedic aids; normal function of the upper limbs; enjoyment of political rights; absence of definitive sentences of conviction or application of punishment upon request for crimes that lead to dismissal (for different crimes or ongoing criminal proceedings there is a further evaluation for the compatibility of the profession).
read also How much and what does a bag carrier earn in Italy? How much does a parliamentary assistant earn? Skills and tasks can vary from assistant to assistant and for this reason the salary can also vary greatly.
The work is very demanding and working alongside the deputy can also require working 7 days a week.
There are bagmen who work voluntarily, to advance their career, but there are also opportunities for paid work.
The figures are minimal and range from 370 euros per month, up to 1,200 euros.
The European Parliamentary Assistant travels on another salary level, not only because they have a regular employment contract.
Salaries, on the other hand, can reach up to 7,000 euros per month and to these are added a whole series of protections.
At the moment, precisely because he is not a poorly regulated figure, the bagman does not earn well and in general does not have many guarantees.
However, it can be a rather important gateway into politics to cross.
To work as a bag carrier you can respond to adverts, direct requests from politicians or participate in public competitions.
The next competition, which opens up recruitment to 25 scholarship holders, expires (by 26 February 2024).