Education and Vocational Training in Lombardy: a path to the future

(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - There is no single path to entering the world of work. With the proposal from the Department of Education and Vocational Training (IeFP) in Lombardy, you can choose to do so by learning through experience, developing your skills and gaining practical expertise. The Lombardy Region, through the commitment of the Councillor for Education, Training and Employment, Simona Tironi, recognises vocational training as an essential component of the education system and is investing to make it increasingly high-quality, innovative and aligned with young people’s aspirations. Its role is to support a programme capable of guiding every student and responding to changes in the world of work, whilst keeping the quality of training and the educational relationship at the heart of the process. This system, which ranks first in Italia, has over 58,000 students enrolled: young people who, upon completing lower secondary school (middle school), have chosen to build their future through a practical, qualified pathway that aligns with their aspirations. IeFP courses enable students to fulfil their compulsory education requirements and to obtain a vocational qualification at the end of the three-year programme or a vocational diploma after a fourth year. It is ‘a choice that nurtures interests and aptitudes through training in which knowledge, practical workshops and work experience mutually reinforce one another. Students learn to use tools and technologies, tackle real-world problems and work together, developing independence and responsibility’, emphasises the Region, which, through a Regional Executive resolution for the 2026/2027 academic year, has allocated a total of 296 million euros to the IeFP system, including the Sport Initiative.

Technological innovation is one of the key areas of this commitment. State-of-the-art laboratories, digital tools and new teaching methods help pupils to learn about the technologies that are transforming the world of work. Artificial intelligence also forms part of this approach: the Lombardy Region promotes teacher training and the informed use of new tools, to enrich learning and develop analytical, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. This openness goes hand in hand with internationalisation: indeed, study abroad programmes enable students to engage with different contexts, strengthen their language skills and gain greater independence. These are opportunities that broaden students’ horizons and provide them with a more solid foundation. In this process, the relationship with businesses remains a key strength. Collaboration with the business community helps to develop up-to-date programmes and offers students opportunities to gain first-hand experience of the workplace. For businesses, the vocational education and training (IeFP) system serves as a key channel for finding well-prepared young people and for helping to develop the professional skills they require. ‘Choosing vocational education and training means valuing one’s abilities and turning them into skills,’ states the Lombardy Region, which, through its support, ensures that vocational training offers ‘young people a practical path to grow, continue their studies and find their place in the world of work’.