Towards a National School for Active Labour Market Policies in Italy

Italy’s active labour market policies (ALMPs) are facing complex challenges. Demographic, digital and environmental transitions demand more accessible, coherent and responsive public employment services. In this context—and within the framework of a strategic agreement between the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO) and the Italian Ministry of Labour—Sviluppo Lavoro Italia and the Centre have joined forces to co-design and build the National School for Active Labour Market Policies.

The School is a new public initiative for learning, dialogue and innovation in the world of work. It is not a new bureaucratic body, but a dynamic space—both physical and digital—that connects knowledge, experiences and solutions, linking practitioners, managers, regions and key stakeholders. The project builds on the national experience of the FORPLUS programme, transforming it into a national laboratory for quality and evolution in employment services.

Through a shared process, this collaboration aims to strengthen the system’s institutional capacity, co-design sustainable models and generate the skills needed to navigate the future of work in a more inclusive, strategic and forward-looking way.

The project mobilizes the multidisciplinary expertise of the ITCILO team—bringing together specialists from the ODPS, EPAP and LIP programmes coordinated by the CATALYST initiative—to respond to the multidimensional challenges posed by the creation of the National School.

This initiative is conceived as an exercise in co-creation. The core objective is to support the establishment of the School as a collaborative platform for capacity development and a driver of systemic innovation. Together, ITCILO and Sviluppo Lavoro Italia are working to:

• Design a shared strategic vision that brings together local experiences, priorities and territories;
• Assess and enhance existing institutional capacities through a participatory, evidence-based approach;
• Foster the emergence of a community grounded in collaboration, peer learning and knowledge sharing;
• Activate data-driven tools and AI-powered innovation to improve service and policy quality;
• Engage public employment professionals in pathways of growth and experimentation.

The collaborative process between ITCILO and Sviluppo Lavoro Italia is structured around five key areas:

1. Shared vision and institutional assessment
   
   A first phase of dialogue with teams from SLI and the Ministry of Labour leads to the co-definition of a strategic roadmap for the School. An institutional capacity assessment—using qualitative and quantitative tools—informs the development of an adaptable, sustainable organizational, operational and financial model.
2. Data governance and artificial intelligence
   
   Together, partners explore how to establish a transparent and effective data governance framework. The focus is on defining strategic use cases for AI in the School’s training and capacity-building services, mapping data flows and designing tools such as interactive dashboards, training chatbots and competency-based micro-credentials.
3. A community of practice for shared learning
   
   A central pillar of the project is the creation of a national Community of Practice for employment service professionals and managers. Designed through a user-centred approach, this community features digital spaces, events, collaborative tools and innovative engagement formats to foster shared language, trust and learning.
4. Training of trainers as a lever for change
   
   A first cohort of 25 trainers from the School is engaged in an experiential learning journey, focused on innovative and participatory training methodologies. Designed following the Turin Learning Approach, the course offers a concrete opportunity to bring the School’s vision to life and co-create the future of learning.
5. Toolkit on soft skills and peer-to-peer training
   
   Based on a joint training needs analysis, a modular toolkit is co-developed to strengthen the soft skills of employment service practitioners. A second group of 15 trainers takes part in a hands-on workshop to test and validate the materials, promoting their adaptation and scalability in different local contexts.

Throughout all phases, the collaboration between SLI and ITCILO is grounded in a core principle: not building for, but building with. Only in this way can the School become a living initiative: responsive to change, and capable of shaping it.