Alternation in the Reformation of School

Alternation is defined by law as

A way to realise the vocational course planned, carried out and evaluated

by the school in cooperation with businesses, with the representative

bodies and with the Chambers of Commerce, so as to assure to young

people, besides the basic knowledges, the acquisition of expertises

spendable in the labour market

“”

The new basic role given to the Chambers of Commerce by the Reformation of School

The article 4 of the Law of Reformation of School, n. 53 of 28 March 2003, acknowledges and gives for the first time, in matter of Alternation School - Work, a basic role to the Chambers of Commerce, next to businesses and their representative bodies, as subjects to be involved in planning, carrying out, evaluating the vocational courses, as well as potential subjects of agreements to receive students in vocational training.the Equalization Fund of the System of Chambers.

After that, in the month of July 2003 a Registered Agreement was signed, on a national level, between the Ministry of Education and the Union of Chambers, from which Operational Agreements have been issued in all the Italian Regions (but for Valle d’Aosta) between Regional School Offices, Schools and Chambers of Commerce to experiment Alternation Courses financed together by the Ministry and Commerce.

The legislative decree n. 77/2005

The legislative decree of 15 April 2005 defines the general rules concerning Alternation School – Work, as a way to realise the courses of secondary school, both in the system of lycées and in the system of education and vocational courses, for students aged 15 (art. 1)

Players and activities of Alternation

SCHOOLOrganisation and carrying out of

training at school Project

Filing curriculaInsurance policy

School Tutor Evaluation and

Credits Certificate

SCHOOLOrganisation and carrying out of

training at school Project

Filing curriculaInsurance policy

School Tutor Evaluation and

Credits Certificate

BUSINESSOrganising

and carrying out of training in

businessBusiness Tutor

Evaluation

BUSINESSOrganising

and carrying out of training in

businessBusiness Tutor

Evaluation

CCIAA AND REPRESENTATIVE

BODIESSearching businessesGestione data banksStudents preparation

Teaching workersServices of assistence

Support tools

CCIAA AND REPRESENTATIVE

BODIESSearching businessesGestione data banksStudents preparation

Teaching workersServices of assistence

Support tools

The experimentation model in Tuscany

Acquisition of the keys to read a

working context

Vocational guidance to the world of labour

I yearSocialization

to work

Objectives

The experimentation model in Tuscany

Determination of Transverse abilities

Professional abilities

Acquisition ofTransverse abilities Professional abilities

II yearKnowledge of the world of labour

Objectives

The experimentation model in Tuscany

Acquisition ofTransverse abilities Professional abilities

Evaluation and certification of

Transverse abilities Professional abilities

III yearTaking part in work

Objectives

Projects of Alternation School - Work: years compared

2003/ 2004 2005/ 2006 2007

Provinces involved 85 88 85

Courses realised 277 576 665

Schools involved (lycées, technical schools, vocational training schools, art schools)

324 406 469

Students present 5.478 13.736 14.905

Businesses involved 1.400 3.029 3.411

Resources invested by the Chambers system (Equalization Fund + Chambers budgets)

4 million Euro 4 million Euro 4 million Euro

The map of the experimentations of the Chamber network : 2007/2008

SI (76)

Nord-Ovest Nord-Est Centro Sud e IsoleBergamo Padova Frosinone CaltanissettaBrescia Modena Firenze CagliariComo Bologna Ancona AgrigentoCremona Parma Grosseto CampobassoLa Spezia Ferrara Chieti BrindisiLecco Bolzano Arezzo BeneventoLodi Piacenza L'Aquila CataniaMantova Pordenone Livorno CatanzaroMilano Ravenna Lucca CosenzaPavia Rimini Macerata CrotoneSavona Rovigo Massa-Carrara EnnaSondrio Treviso Pistoia IserniaVarese Trieste Perugia Matera

Udine Pescara MessinaVenezia Pisa NapoliVerona Prato PalermoVicenza Rieti PotenzaForlì Cesena Roma RagusaReggio Emilia Siena Salerno

Teramo SiracusaTerni Trapani

Vibo ValentiaReggio Calabria

Distribution of the courses of Alternation by types of school and Chambers Union models years 2005/2006

SCHOOL Technical Schools, Vocational Training

Schools and Art Schools Lycées

Total

A.I

Prevalenti esperienze

finalizzate ad orientamento e

cultura d’impresa;

stage in azienda

B.I I

Prevalenti

esperienze di formazione

all’interno delle imprese (stage

in azienda)

B.I I I

Prevalenti attività di impresa

formativa simulata e stage in azienda

A.IV

Prevalenti esperienze

finalizzate ad orientamento e

cultura d’impresa;

stage in azienda

B.V

Prevalenti

esperienze di formazione

all’interno delle imprese (stage

in azienda

B.VI

Prevalenti attività di impresa

formativa simulata e stage in azienda

576

155

254

55

40

89

23

Schools involved in courses of Alternation 2005-2006 by type

82

55

169

93

7

Professionale Liceo Tecnico Istituti IstruzioneSuperiore

Istituto D’arte

Points of strength

Graduality, flexibility and adaptability of the models and of the courses experimented in function of the several specificities

Creation of a network among the subjects in the area

Acknowledgement of the role of the Chambers of Commerce as “simplifiers” for Alternation

Approach and more mutual knowedge between the world of school and the world of businesses

Usefulness and validity of the training courses for workers

Points of strength

Enrichment of abilities of the students

Satisfaction and greater motivation of the students towards the school activities

Satisfaction of parents for the enrichment of the teaching offer through the experiences in business

Vocational value of the seminars/moduls of “guidance and business culture” for the students (most of all on the first year of Alternation aimed at fifteen year students)

Value of the activities in business from the point of view of the school and vocational guidance

Realisatrion of experiences concrete in businesses focussed on the actual work needs of the area

Criticalities and points of weakness: the experience in schools

The experience of training is felt as an opportunity only by some teachers meeting hostility of the remaining teachers

There is a cultural resistance of some headmasters in experimenting innovative teaching methods

The extra – curricular activities of schools are sometimes so numerous to make “jams” or there are no priorities estabilished

Schools complain about little finances for Alternation

Difficulties of integration between business abilities and traditional teaching come out

Complexity and time consistenza temporale of the planning

Little knowledge by teachers of the business world

Criticalities and points of weakness from the businesses: the difficulties in finding the businesses

Expenses for businesses connected to the organisation costs and to the scarsità lack of resources to dedicate to the teaching activity (major difficulties in areas where is a larger presence of very small businesses, for the difficulty to let a person from the staff to follow the trainee)

Difficulty to let labour participate in the teaching activities for preparation and sensitization for business tutor

Little motivation and consciousness of the businesses (cultural resistance by some businesses which see the training as a waste of time and resources)

Little perception of the importance of preparing a potential worker

Perception by the businesses of little usefulness of training for a short period (less than 30 days)

The tools of the Chambers of commerce System

Services for Alternation and vocational training www.polaris.unioncamere.it

The portal of guidance

www.jobtel.it

Analysis of professional and traning needs of businesses System of Information Excelsior

ReferencesCOAP – Azienda Speciale Camera di commercio di Grosseto

Luca BilottiTel. 0564 430212 - 25941Fax 0564 41 66 63e-mail: bilotti.coap@gr.camcom.it

Area Ricerca, Innovazione e Formazione UnioncamereSettore “Sistemi formativi e mercato del lavoro”

Stefano Casagrandetel. 064704.291fax 064704.344e-mail: stefano.casagrande@unioncamere.it

Caterina Pampalonitel. 064704.388fax 064704.344e-mail: c.pampaloni@retecamere.it

Thanks for your attention