«Entrepreneurs and technicians at school to help train young people»- Corriere.it

There is a real lack in companies. It is estimated that every year in Lombardy 40,000 workers are missing from companies, explains the president of Confcommercio and of the Chamber of Commerce of Milan Monza Brianza Lodi Carlo Sangalli. The demand for technicians and craftsmen exceeds 250,000 people in the Lombardy region alone. But the students that the regional vocational education and training system diverts to the market every year reach 24,000 (there are 77,000 enrolled in Lombardy). Not everyone is ready: in more than four out of ten cases, managers find it difficult to find young people due to inadequacy of skills and insufficient number of candidates.

Path of continuity

The Minister of Education and Merit Giuseppe Valditara wants a reform of technical-vocational education. He explains: We already have the idea of ​​the supply chain and the campus in mind to connect education with ITS. A path of continuity should be allowed, a 4+2. And to overcome the social and cultural hierarchy that sets high schools and institutes apart, he lists at least three measures. First: In vocational technical education they must also be able to teach entrepreneurs, professionals and technicians to enrich the training offer. Second: The regional education offices must play a role of strong connection with the business world. Third: We must proceed with the ordinary recourse to the first level apprenticeship. Have more school-work alternation in Technicians and greater investments in Its.

The difference between supply and demand

While Valditara speaks, many nod at the Chamber of Commerce of Milan, during the conference moderated by the director of Corriere della SeraLuciano Fontana. Title: Professional training and business-A wall to break down. That wall to tear down separates vocational education from the corporate world, the mismatch between labor supply and demand. According to data from Unioncamere Anpal it reaches 46%, eight points more in a year. That mismatch weighs on our GDP. But human resources are not lacking. In Italy there are over 3 million NEETs (those who do not study, do not work and do not enroll in training courses), 17% in Milan alone, points out Sangalli.

Talk to families

Stefano Fugazza, president of Unione Artigiani, suggests talking to the youngsters, one by one. And widen the circle to parents. The regional councilor for Education, Training and Employment Simona Tironi agrees with him: We need trained human capital, you need to invest in skills. But let’s not just stop at the kids, let’s spread a message to families too. Fugazza reiterates: We will need at least 6 or 7 years to guarantee the first useful results but the craft system is running out of time. Young entrepreneurs under 30 have dropped by 40% in Italy in the last five years.

Work consistent with studies

Solutions are also proposed by the executive vice president of PTS Public Innovation & Strategy Mattia Dolci, the director of the professional training division of the Department of Education, Culture and Sport – Canton Ticino Paolo Colombo, and the president of the Lombardy Association of Training Institutes Diego Montrone. There is one positive fact, underlines the general secretary of the Unione Artigiani Marco Accornero: three years after completing the professional training course, most young people find a job consistent with their studies. It means that technical and artisan jobs must become attractive, adds the councilor for economic development and labor policies of Milan Alessia Cappello. Maybe so the wall could collapse.