No. 1/1999
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No. 1/1999 |
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In the broad framework of a new Social Pact signed in December 1998, the Italian government is seeking to introduce an integrated system of education and vocational training as a measure to promote growth and employment. It will eventually be compulsory to attend education or training activities up to the age of 18, a requirement which may be fulfilled at school in vocational training or in apprenticeship. The skills thus acquired will have the value of training credits.
Compulsory education will in 1999 be extended by one year to the age of 15, a total of nine years. This is the first step in a process which aims to extend training to 18 years of age and 13 years' duration. Measures will also be taken to combat the phenomenon of drop-outs and to train teachers. The government and the social partners intend to extend the use of in-company training periods for students, while apprentices will be required to train for at least 120 hours a year outside their enterprises. An inter-professional fund for continuous training is being set up with an endowment of 600 billion lire (310 million EUR) in 1999 and 500 billion lire (258 million EUR) per year in 2000 and 2001. It is also planned to set up a fund for the training of temporary workers (known as "interim" workers). The Minister of Education, Berlinguer, has made it known that in the integrated education-training system it will only be possible to enter the labour market with one of the following qualifications: an upper secondary school-leaving certificate, an apprenticeship contract or a vocational qualification. Skills acquired through working experience will be recognised for the purposes of awarding training credits, as will training or school. Training credits obtained in this way will facilitate the pathway towards a certificate and access to higher technical-vocational training. The aim is to raise at the same time the quality of general education and in-company vocational experience. This objective can only be achieved by reassessing at national level the analysis of training needs as part of a partnership action involving the regional authorities, social partners, central government via the Ministries concerned (Labour, Education, etc.) and universities. This may also lead to a review of the role of the existing State vocational schools. Special measures are envisaged for the disabled and handicapped. The future implications of these measures are as follows:
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