Across Italy, more and more young people are looking for education paths that combine classroom learning with real-world work experience—whether through internships, apprenticeships, or freelance-style engagements. Vocational training programs are designed to meet this need, and in some ways, they’re succeeding. But the system is still facing major challenges.

While overall enrollment in vocational schools has declined by nearly 8%, there’s been a dramatic spike in dual-training programs—those that include at least 30% on-the-job training. These programs have more than doubled in size, increasing by 115%. This surge is encouraging, especially as the European Recovery Plan has dedicated €600 million to support Italy’s dual-education track. However, the rate of progress is still falling short of what Italian industries actually require.