Institutions promoting quality apprenticeship in Europe: how can FITT

be transferred and mainstreamed? Input from stakeholders and institutions from Italy and Europe

Developing quality in the new apprenticeship for vocational qualifications in Italy

Director General for Education, Training and Work at the Lombardy Regional

Administration Gianni Bocchieri

Brussels, 16 March 2017

European Apprenticeship Strategy

The European apprenticeship strategy is a successful tool for professional growth and development that includes the “FITT! Forma il tuo futuro” project. As part of this strategy, the Lombardy Regional Administration has adopted numerous coordinated initiatives to boost the spread of apprenticeships as part of vocational qualifications and diplomas earned in the regional vocational education and training system.

In 2015, Regional Law no. 30/2015 created the foundations for building the dual system in Lombardy.

Fundamental principles of the Law:

Structural integration between education and work Win-win alliance between schools and companies Balance between general culture and specialist/technical skills Making optimal use of apprenticeships as a key tool in the creation of the

dual learning model

The innovative model of the Aprea Law (no. 30/2015): "Quality, innovation and internationalisation in the Lombard

education, training and employment systems"

"Students in the vocational education and training system earn vocational qualifications and diplomas through the integration of education, employment and apprenticeship for vocational qualifications and diplomas" (Art. 23 bis -“Lombard dual system”).

 Experimentation with the Dual System In 2016, the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies launched the first

national trials of the dual system, divided into two areas of action:

Development and improvement of the placement services at Vocational Education Centres, which provide regional vocational education and training, in order to increase cooperation between schools and businesses to facilitate the transition of young people from education to the labour market

Dissemination of the dual learning model across regional vocational education and training systems as an innovative educational method to improve the quality of learning through the alternation of school and work in order to combat youth unemployment and provide young people with the technical skills that companies actually require.

The adoption of national trials of the dual system commenced in 2016, with Law no. 30/2015, led to the introduction of some important changes:

First level apprenticeships: establishes the obligation to adopt an apprenticeship contract for at least 5% of enrolled students, in the 3rd and 4th years of regional IeFP (education and vocational training) programmes as part of earning a regional qualification/diploma

School-work alternation: encouraging quality opportunities for the programmes alternating school and work, which can cover up to 50% of an IeFP programme.

 Experimentation with the Dual System in Lombardy

Lombard Dual System

As part of the national trial of the dual system, the Lombardy Regional Administration has signed a convention with the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies defining concrete actions to adopt for the trial in the region.

Starting from the 2016/2017 academic year, the Lombardy Regional Administration has improved its adoption of the dual system by:

The dissemination of the apprenticeship contract for vocational education and training qualifications and diplomas as a normal method for training young people: in the 2016/2017 academic year, the number of apprentices in Lombardy increased to 2,600.

The increase to 400 hours a year of the minimum mandatory hours of school-work alternation in regional vocational education and training programmes, including the possibility for a part of the "on the job" training to be done abroad.

Measures Resources invested Youths involved

Regional vocational education and training

system

€ 206 million 56,153 young people (including 41,442 with

IeFP grants)

Regional IeFP programmes for vocational qualifications

and diplomas as apprenticeships

€ 10.5 million 2,600

School-work alternation trials in regional IeFP

programmes

€ 12.4 MILLION 4,000

TOTAL RESOURCES INVESTED

€ 228.9 MILLION

 Lombardy Regional Administration's investment in the dual system for regional vocational education and training

2013 2014 2015 20160

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

110194 126

2600

Apprentices taken on to earn vocational quali-fications and diplomas

The dual system in Lombardy: actions taken

1st level apprenticeship Systemic actions

Adult Education Trails Technical Training

Programmes for 15-25 year olds, with an apprenticeship contract for a vocational qualification/diploma, purs. to Art. 43 of Leg. Decree no. 81/15

10.5 mil.

- Area 1: information dissemination - Area 2: rewards for trial projects

0.42 mil.

"Improved" alternation in IeFP Combating drop out rates Experience abroad

12.4 mil.

Adoption of trial programmes with educational institutes for students at adult education centres (CPIA) aged 15 to 25

1.6 mil.

Higher technical educational programmes

2.5 mil. (+2,5 mil. ESF)

IeFP alternation

Completion of the Vocational Training Supply Chain

112 Educational institutes 2,692 Annual courses 51,192 Students 20 Technical higher educations foundations 73 Courses 1,600 Pupils