The International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (ITCILO) and Sviluppo Lavoro Italia, the in-house agency of the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, announce the launch of a strategic partnership. This collaboration is part of the agreement between the Ministry and the ILO’s Turin-based Centre, aimed at enhancing the skills of professionals across the employment, training, and social inclusion ecosystem. The partnership includes both formal and experiential learning opportunities, as well as the development of learning and practice communities.

Through this initiative, ITCILO will support Sviluppo Lavoro Italia in the design of the National School for Active Labour Market Policies, the enhancement of its training offer, and the capacity building of personnel and the broader labour and employment services system, drawing on international best practices. Implemented within the framework of the “Youth, Women and Work” National Plan, the project envisions a multidimensional, operational and sustainable governance model for the School, incorporating artificial intelligence tools to design increasingly effective learning pathways. The goal is to integrate technology and methodology into training delivery, while also designing Communities of Practice for professionals and managers that continue beyond the training itself, strengthening the overall system.

Among the first activities planned are two training courses: one focusing on innovative teaching methodologies and the other on transversal skills, which are essential to navigate an ever-evolving labour market.

“Our goal,” said Paola Nicastro, President and CEO of Sviluppo Lavoro Italia, “is to build a School that supports the labour policy ecosystem, one that connects diverse actors, from decision-makers to frontline staff, from national to regional levels. A changing labour market requires constant investment in the knowledge and skills of professionals. The School will provide not only training, but also a space for exchange and mutual learning. It will be a stable structure, that keeps skills up to date, while promoting the use of AI in both course design and delivery. Thanks to the collaboration with the ILO’s Centre in Turin, we are laying strong international foundations for a strategic initiative for the future of work in Italy.”

“This project,” noted Christophe Perrin, Director of the International Training Centre of the ILO, “is a tangible example of our service approach to ILO constituents—grounded in strategic vision, co-design, and tailored technical support. In line with the Organization’s values and our sixty years of experience as a hub for innovation in training, we bring to the project a cross-cutting community of experts to support the National School across all its dimensions—institutional, technical, and educational. Our goal is to contribute to building a more effective public ecosystem, capable of generating long-lasting impact for territories, workers, and enterprises, and inspired by international best practices.”

The School will be active across the entire national territory, generating local impact while maintaining a European and international outlook.

“The National School for Active Labour Market Policies,” said Massimo Temussi, Director General for Active Labour Policies, Employment Services and Employment Incentives at the Ministry of Labour, “is the result of an international agreement promoted by the Minister, aimed at strengthening and upgrading the technical and managerial capacities of employment services—starting with the public ones. The goal is to align with the European average in managing digital, green, demographic and labour transitions. It is essential to engage practitioners in the ongoing AI-driven transformation and to create the conditions for professional communities that can share practices across Regions and Autonomous Provinces, and even beyond national borders. This School will be national in scope, with local impact and a strong European and international perspective.”

Through this partnership, the School will act as a bridge between national and place-based initiatives, serving as a driver of innovation and a strategic learning hub for a more dynamic and inclusive labour system, while rising to the challenge posed by AI’s impact on labour markets and employment services.