The member countries of the European Union have begun to implement educational laws that adapt vocational training to the new guidelines in order to achieve the objectives proposed by Europe. The European Commission has made vocational training a cornerstone of the common policy. In this regard, the Committee on the Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the European Social Fund Plus in Council Recommendation 2020/C417/01 specifies that it seeks to “ensure better matching of education and training systems to the labour market and equal access to lifelong learning opportunities for all, through upskilling and retraining pathways.”
THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING MODEL IN ITALY
In recent years, the Government has carried out educational reforms that make vocational training more flexible and responsive to the needs of the labour market. To this end, training itineraries have been implemented characterized by a greater number of hours of in-company training (they must complete at least 400 hours per year) or the virtual simulation of in-company training, as well as individualized training plans. To train you in your access to the labour market, in Italy you can access courses at technical or vocational institutes or vocational training schools (IeFP):
Instituto de Formazione Professionale (IeFP)
These are public schools that offer three-year training programs[i] for the technical and vocational preparation necessary for access to the labor market. After 3 years you obtain the title of operator of the chosen sector, while if you finish the 4 years you obtain a title of Technician.
IeFP courses are administered by the regions and are characterised by a higher level of practical training than the courses in vocational schools and a lower number of theoretical teaching hours. After completing and passing these courses, students obtain a professional degree or a technical diploma (depending on the area of training chosen) and do not have the possibility to continue their education at university. To do this, they must first be trained at technical or vocational institutes.
Instituti professionali
It is a type of vocational secondary school run by the government and organized at the national level. The training courses given in these schools have a duration of five years; Upon completion and completion of these courses, students obtain a diploma and the possibility of continuing their education at the university.
Instituti Tecnici
They are schools that train you in the economic or technological sector for 5 years. After completing your studies, you can enter the job market or continue your studies at university.