Individual Learning Credit Card in Italy

What is the initiative and where is it implemented (city or country)?

The individual learning credit card is an innovative tool developed by the Italian Ministry of Labour and Welfare to support individualized learning solutions for adults. As of 2009, the credit card has been activated in five provinces in cooperation with a group of four firms. The goal of the initiative is to promote adult participation and training by enforcing proactive labour-market measures, promoting mobility and flexibility of career paths and improving access to training (Cedefop, 2009).

How was the initiative established? How was it implemented?

The initiative was established with the strategic objectives set out by the Lisbon European Council of 2000 in mind, which suggest lifelong learning as an instrument for rethinking the economy in terms of a knowledge-based system (Cedefop, 2009).

Implementing lifelong learning in Italy requires the adoption of innovative strategies and instruments with a direct impact on the labour market. The goal is to involve the larger segment of the population, those between the ages of 25 and 64, in learning activities. The intervention aims to improve participation rates not only from highly skilled workers but also from individuals with disadvantaged social or economic backgrounds.

Which stakeholders are involved in the design and/or implementation of the initiative? Which sectors do they represent?

The Italian Ministry of Labour and Welfare, in collaboration with four firms (Ernst & Young Italy, Iter, Sigla and Studio Come), aims to support, monitor, evaluate and model local experiences by providing:

• qualitative and quantitative data monitoring on card holders and learning projects;
• support to local actors in the experiment;
• information about experiences at local and national levels;
• case studies to analyse the most representative experiences;
• ex post evaluation on the employment and learning impacts;
• transfer of successful experiences and best practices towards other contexts;
• an exchange of experiences at the European level (Cedefop, 2009).

The initiative has been applied widely, has increased participation rates and improved the overall conditions for the demand and supply sides of the training.

The training phase of the initiative is supported by the newly established employment centres. The career and training counsellors are available for single or repeated interviews to support individuals applying for the programme and to check eligibility and monitor progress until completion. The counsellors are hired by the employment centres located in the provinces.

Once the training project is defined, the individual is granted a credit card with a EUR 2500 spending limit, divided into single EUR 500 refills. The amount can be invested in formal, non-formal or informal training; learning materials; travel and accommodation; and other related expenses (Cedefop, 2009).

What are the impacts of the initiative in terms of facilitating lifelong learning? Who does it benefit and how?

The individual learning credit card provides an opportunity for customized learning solutions.

The prepaid credit card covers partial or complete training expenses. Subsidies are available for unemployed high school or university graduates, immigrants, women and employees with atypical contracts. The initiative allows individuals to be at the heart of their learning process, empowering them through flexible training paths.

The card has proven useful in tackling potential obstacles on the way to obtaining proper training, such as training course costs, logistical matters, the distribution of time related to family commitments, attitudes towards ‘schooling’ and low expectations for the courses. The card covers not only training costs but also travel and accommodation expenses along with family and child services for the period of the training (nursery, babysitting, etc.). The card permits attendance at non-formal learning activities, of which there is wide range, suited to individual needs and expectations.

References:

Cedefop. 2009. Individual Learning Accounts. [online]  Available at: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/files/5192_en.pdf [Accessed 15 October 2020].