H.08. Educational Provision And Labour Demand: Challenges In Reconciling Education And Labour Markets

In Italy, educational and employment dynamics are intertwined, making it difficult to reconcile educational provision and labour demand. In recent years, there has been a reduction in early school leaving and a stable trend in tertiary education enrolment, signs of an education system that, at least in part, is consolidating its ability to retain and guide students. However, these advances coexist with marked social class inequalities in the attainment of educational qualifications: family background continues to have a significant influence on educational pathways, access to qualifications and study choices, contributing to the reproduction of educational gaps and differential opportunities for entry into the labour market.

On the demand side, the Italian labour market has characteristics that limit the full utilisation of skills: the supply of low-skilled jobs remains high, while precarious contracts, especially for young people, continue to account for a significant proportion of new hires. Added to this are low average wage levels, which fuel the phenomenon of the working poor and poor-quality jobs. High rates of NEETs and inactivity also persist, highlighting the difficulty of a significant portion of the young population in entering or remaining in education and employment.

The panel aims to collect research contributions, local experiences of activation and policy initiatives that analyse these dynamics, offering interpretations of the links between education and work or illustrating the outcomes of interventions aimed at reducing gaps and improving the match between available skills and employment opportunities.