Productive Employment and the Evolution of Training Contracts in Italy

In Italy training contracts have a long history. Provisions for these contract date back to the 1950s, when regulations for apprenticeship contacts were adopted. In the 1980s another phase begun, with the spread of new types of contract, in particular employment training contracts, to promote the employment of young people. The system was recently updated as part of the Biagi reform. These new measures are intended to end the ambiguity and misunderstanding surrounding the use of training contracts in Italy. Especially in recent years, apprenticeship and employment contracts in general have been used improperly. Training objectives have been given scant regard, while the emphasis has been on providing state subsidies for industry, a policy no longer permitted by the European Commission, or integrating certain groups into the labour market.