- 2017Approved/Agreed
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Description
In April 2017, the council of ministers approved several legislative decrees aiming to complete the implementation process of the Law 107/2015 The Good school reform. One of the decrees defined new criteria for the recruitment of school teachers. Applicants must be university graduates and must pass exams that take place twice a year. The number of job openings will be estimated based on the needs of each school. Successful candidates attend a three-year training course (work-based learning) and receive wages after the first year of training. At regional level, within the framework of the State-regions agreement of 22 January 2015, each region and autonomous province is responsible for setting its own standards for teacher training to ensure high quality VET services financed by public funds.
The presence of qualified and well-trained teachers will guarantee high quality in education and higher involvement of students with a positive impact on the reduction of early school leaving and dropouts. Therefore, continuing professional development is relevant and strategic in terms of national educational policies.
In 2021, a public consultation on preparatory actions and on the definition of new rules and criteria for the recruitment of teachers, including VET teachers, began.
In June 2022, Law 79 introduced- among other measures- a reform in initial teacher, including VET teachers, training. The law regulates the process of initial training, required qualification(s), and access to the profession of teacher in secondary schools.
On 16 August 2022, the Decree No 226 issued by the education minister regulates the training and trial process of teaching and educational staff. It also regulates the procedures for the final test and the procedures and evaluation criteria for the teaching staff during the trial period.
The Prime Minister's Decree of August 4, 2023 was issued, as a result of Law n. 79/2022, which authorises the activation of university and academic qualifying training pathways in implementation of articles 2-bis and 2-ter, article 13 and article 18-bis of Legislative Decree n. 59 of April 13, 2017, and specifically regulates criteria and content of training offerings. The decree defines the training pathways for the initial preparation of secondary school teachers, including master's degree programmes, postgraduate courses, active training internships (TFA), and continuous professional development courses. These programmes aim to provide a strong theoretical and practical foundation, advanced skills and ongoing professional updates, ensuring that teachers' education aligns with the needs of the educational system and international best practices. It also establishes a structured and comprehensive training framework to facilitate the path to becoming a permanent teacher.
The competition for Catholic religion teachers was announced with Ministerial Decree no. 9 of 19 January 2024. The competition is on a regional basis and covers 2 336 positions for secondary schools and 2 164 for nursery and primary schools. It is a competition based on exams and qualifications and allows access to regional roles divided into territorial areas corresponding to the dioceses.
The public competitions for teachers' recruitment proclaimed by Ministerial Decrees no. 205 and 206 of 26 October 2023 - were launched to implement the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) and are nearing completion. These competitions aim to recruit 70 000 teachers to achieve the educational objectives of the NRRP by addressing the teacher shortage and improving the quality of education in Italy, in line with the objectives of the NRRP.
In this context, the competition for physical education teachers in primary schools, that was announced with Directorial Decree no. 1330 of 4 August 2023, has been completed with the recruitment of 1 740 teachers.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Education and Merit
- Ministry of Education (until 2022)
- Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (until 2019)
- Regions and autonomous provinces
Target groups
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Adult educators
Thematic categories
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
This thematic sub-category covers all developments related to work-based learning (WBL) elements in VET programmes and apprenticeships which continue to be important in the policy agenda. It includes measures to stabilise the offer of apprenticeships, the implementation of the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships, and using the EU on-demand support services and policy learning initiatives among the Member States. It also covers further expansion of apprenticeships and WBL to continuing VET (CVET), for transition to work and inclusion of vulnerable groups, and for improving citizens’ qualification levels.
Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences
Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.
This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.
The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.
This thematic sub-category refers to measures aimed at engaging more professionals into teaching and training careers, including career schemes or incentives. It includes measures enabling teaching and training of staff, managing VET provider and trainer teams in companies to act as multipliers and mediators, and supporting their peers and/or local communities.
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Requirements for teachers: Italy. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/pt-pt/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28322