Vocational education and training in Italy

5. Continuing training
5.1. General
Training for adults can be divided between:
(a) lifelong education and training for the acquisition of initial, general and pre-occupational
skills provided, in the ‘formal’ sector, in particular by the Centri territoriali permanenti
per l'educazione degli adulti (CTPs – Permanent Regional Centres for Adult Education),
run by the MIUR (Ministry of Education, Universities and Research, Ministerial Order
455/97);
(b) continuing vocational training which includes all learning schemes following on from
initial training and targeted at the vocational retraining and refresher training of adult
workers.
MLPS (Ministry of Labour and Social Policy) measures, implementing Law 236/93, identify
as continuing training schemes all those schemes targeted on adults, whether employed or
unemployed, in which workers may take part, in some cases by choice. This includes schemes
run by enterprises to improve or raise the occupational skills and knowledge required by
technological and organisational innovation in the production process.
The support provided by Law 236/93 has made it possible to design a continuing training
system by funding measures for the introduction of in-company training by enterprises,
training for trainers, systems actions ( ∗ ), testing of company, sectoral and regional training
plans promoted by the social partners and testing of tailor-made training for individuals.
Laws 196/97 and 388/00 (amended by Law 289/02) added a key component to the system: the
Fondi interprofessionali, managed by the social partners and supervised by the MLPS, to
which employers pay a contribution of 0.30%. The funds, which finance enterprise, sectoral
and regional training plans, supplement the work of the regional authorities in the continuing
training system (see Chapters 3 and 10).
5.2. Delivery mechanisms and providers
Continuing training schemes for workers may be run by enterprises (public and private)
designing training schemes for their own employees, training agencies, bilateral bodies,
industry associations, professional associations, etc., and institutions such as universities and
employment centres.
( ∗ ) See glossary.
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