(ANSA) - ROME, MARCH 01 - Addressing the gap between the speed of change and the speed of updating of training programmes: Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara spoke about it at the Cnel conference "Work, training and the connection between supply and demand".
"When we talk about mismatch, we are talking about a lack of correspondence between the skills that people acquire and those required by the world of work. This phenomenon - underlined the minister - is constantly increasing: an economic and social scourge that affects 1.3 billion people in the world and which can reduce productivity by 6% globally. I believe in the joint responsibility of school and business in overcoming this obstacle, in building an integrated supply chain of vocational training. Schools are central to the development of pilot projects on guidance and pacts between businesses and universities".
"We have a double problem - said Valditara -: we need to bridge the gap between the speed of change and the speed of updating. The goal is to avoid wasting resources, throw away job opportunities or throw away skills. We have a situation of undereducation and overeducation. It is of a joint responsibility between companies and schools, that of being able to explain the contents and characteristics of the jobs. To think that 1,200,000 jobs, in Italy, go unfulfilled due to lack of qualifications, is an intolerable waste. It is an insult to those young people who cannot find employment".
"Schools - continued the minister - should direct training courses on the basis of the opportunities in the area. Helping to resolve the mismatch issue is one of the objectives I have set myself. We intend to work as a ministry on pilot projects in this sense, in agreement with the area and businesses and we are in full agreement with Minister Calderone".
"With Calderone - concluded Valditara - we are also discussing school-work alternation, to combine safety and effectiveness of training. And start a great revolution that involves our society: let's put aside the controversies and work for a great alliance".
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