The National Institute for Public Policy Analysis (INAPP) has launched a survey to assess key skills in the vocational education and training (IeFP) system with the aim of improving the system’s quality, effectiveness and attractiveness, in line with current activities for the national qualifications framework.

The survey intends to improve key skills for learners of the vocational education training (IeFP) system, to achieve an increase in the quality of training provision and to prevent educational failure and early school-leaving. These targets could be achieved via the creation of operational methods and tools.

Specific objectives are:

  • to define and test a tool for the evaluation of four specific key skills (learning to learn, social and civic skills, spirit of initiative and entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression) in IeFP;
  • to carry out a survey on best Italian and European practices in the field of competence-based training programmes (aiming at the acquisition of the skills above).

The research includes:

  • the preparation of a tool/model, procedures, indicators, descriptors and tools to test the level of mastery of these four key skills, taking into account their specific interpretation in the Italian context and relations with the IeFP training standards;
  • four incoming and outgoing phases – in a sample of 1 300 learners enrolled in IeFP and 10 000 assessment tests.
  • The survey sample consists of those enrolled in the first year of the IeFP courses provided in the academic years 2018/19 and 2019/20.The three first scheduled phases have been completed.

Further, the research analyses teaching/learning processes and methods regarding these four key skills (especially design and organisation of processes and methods). To this purpose, an analysis of national and European good practices was conducted through:

  • a survey on training curricula, offered by IeFP accredited training agencies, which started in 2019;
  • the identification and analysis of relevant European practices (in a sample of four European countries), which was completed in 2019.

In 2020/21 the research will be completed with:

  • the conclusion of the survey on national practices and experiences. Following the reconnaissance and case analysis phase, some recommendations (work tracks, operational proposals, etc.) will be drawn up based on the results;
  • the fourth phase of the evaluation tests for those attending the first year of the IeFP (1 100 learners enrolled in the academic year 2019/20);
  • a final report with the validation of the evaluation tool, focusing on analysis of its strengths and critical points.