Italian Education Profile - Education - The British Council Italy


	THE ITALIAN EDUCATION PROFILE

	Vocational education and training The *Istituti professionali* (Vocational schools) accept students in the 15-17 years age bracket, offering the possibility of extending studies until the age of 19 for those attending post qualification courses, which are no longer experimental. Vocational schools were created in the 1950s in order to train qualified technicians for the productive sectors: agriculture, industry and craft and services. The curricula of vocational schools have long been distinguished by a high content of training and the specification of the qualifications issued (one for each profession). The choice of a short course of study after finishing compulsory education was seen in the past as being reserved, in general, for those persons who aspired to a "practical" type of preparation with the aim of entering employment as early as possible. There was, however, an increasing demand for changes to be made to take into account new demands from industry and businesses. For this reason, from 1988-89 onwards, vocational education has been involved in an assisted experimental programme called Progetto '92 (Project '92) which has led to a profound innovative process based on the following directives: more general and vocational culture in order to promote the personal and social growth of young people; a multifaceted professionalism (doing away with merely repetitive training) in order to meet the present needs of the productive system; the consequent reduction in the number of qualifications from around 150 to approximately 20; regulated interventions for carrying out a strategy which is as individualised as possible in order to compensate for socio-cultural disadvantages; connection with the regional system of vocational training for the integration of the training offered. This policy of renewal has been well-received and has gained significant recognition, resulting in the Minister of Education's decision to adopt the new timetables and teaching programmes for general use (Ministerial Decree 24.4.1992). The new vocational training qualification courses are all three-year programmes. The following is defined in the first two years: an area of teaching common to all courses (classical-scientific education 22 hours per week); an area of specialised teaching (technological-scientific and practical training (14 hours per week); an in-depth learning area (4 hours per week). The third year is characterised by: a common area (12-15 hours per week); a specialised area (21-24 hours per week); an in-depth learning area (4 hours per week). After obtaining the final qualifications students may: gain direct access to the labour market; register to take one of the vocational school's two-year post-qualification courses; pass on to the fourth year of another type of upper secondary school by means of complementary examinations; attend subsequent vocational training modules, also carried out in the school in collaboration with the Region, in order to obtain a second level qualification. The in-depth learning area is worth a special mention since, although this is an integral part of the curriculum and thus compulsory for all, it is entrusted to the autonomous programming of each school, in order to allow for greater flexibility of management. The hours of the in-depth learning area make it possible to carry out individualized educational strategies in order to compensate for recovering situations of disadvantage, to initiate relations with the specific local circumstances, and to carry out alternating school-work training in collaboration with firms. With regard to the various individual areas of specialization, it has been decided that the programmes and teaching timetables should not be too rigidly defined, in order to guarantee their continued adaptability in relation to the constant changes in the productive world. There is a type of education, which is becoming widespread and significant and deserves mentioning. It consists in the post-secondary courses established within the framework of the vocational training system falling under the responsibility of the Regions. These courses attract young people who, on completing their compulsory school period and having no intention of carrying on further studies, want to get employed as soon as possible. Within this context however, vocational training becomes an educational stream alternative and therefore the boundaries between state and regional responsibilities are not clearly laid down in the Italian constitution. Said courses usually last no longer than one year, their main purpose being to integrate the type of education provided in certain upper secondary schools (ie. technical and vocational institutes) with more specialistic operative skills. At the end of most regional training courses only attendance certificates are issued although in a few cases attestati may be supplied, ie statements testifying the completion of certain vocational course. They have no legal validity at national level either for further study within the state education system or as a prerequisite for access to self-employed professions and to the civil service. Such limitations are the main reason for the slow and only partial development of the regional vocational training system, especially at higher levels. In a few local contexts, 2-year courses are evolving on an experimental basis. They, however, are quite different from the previous ones since they offer well-balanced vocational training based on specific subject courses on such areas as building, industrial production, business administration etc. which remain generally uncovered by the type of professional education offered by the SDAFSs within universities. Within a recent ministerial initiative known as Formazione Superiore Integrata-FSI (Higher Integrated Education 1998) a pilot project has been started in a few Regions. It consists in the setting up of some 150 experimental programmes of advanced professional education and training called Corsi di Istruzione e Formazione Tecnica Superiore-IFTS whose chief objective is to create a real second channel of educational opportunity for students holding a Diploma di Maturità who want to obtain good quality education rather than a university one. The length of these courses will be 2 years the curriculum including basic technical-scientific subjects, practical applications, training periods at private companies or public bodies and other professionally-oriented activities with periods of actual job experience. Practical training periods must cover no less than 30-40% of the total length of the programme and may take place in Italy or abroad, in EU or non-EU countries. Their final qualifications will be valuable as study credits to pass on to further studies both in Italy - either in the university system or in that of regional professional education (II level) - and abroad. These courses have been planned in close cooperation with working bodies such as industries and businesses. Index \| Previous \| Next