Nota: |
Social Investment affirms that sustainable economic growth can be achieved by social policies that invest in the younger generations. In this regard, Italy is an example of worst practice. Despite young people in Italy numbering fewer than ever before (also relative to other European countries), the labour market indicators are worst for this group. Not only are they experiencing an increasingly difficult entrance into the labour market, but after access they are more likely to be overqualified, taking lower quality jobs, characterised by a higher degree of destandardisation. Scholars doubt that Italy will benefit from the improved human capital of subsequent generations given the structural constraints of its labour demand. This chapter will contribute to the social investment debate by analysing two relevant policies proposed to benefit young workers in recent years: apprenticeships in higher education (Apprendistato in Alta Formazione) and Youth Guarantee (Garanzia Giovani). The analysis will demonstrate how the two policies, the first targeting high-skilled youths, and the second the NEET (Not in Employment nor in Education or Training), have performed poorly due to the unfavourable socio-economic (the type of local production systems) and educational (the school system and the transition from school to work) environments. |