Discussion Paper - Mutual Learning Programme

DISCUSSION PAPER
Table 10 Distribution of the participants by age at the beginning of the apprenticeship
programme and standard deviation in relation to the total figure of the participants
and the different type of training programme
First-level Second-level
Age (years) Total IFTS Degree Master’s Master’s
19 4.8% 10.7% 33.3% 1.5% -
20 3.2% 10.7% 18.9% 1.1% -
21 2.3% 9.3% 14.4% 0.5% -
22 1.8% 5.3% 11.1% 0.6% -
23 4.1% 12.0% 6.7% 3.9% -
24 8.1% 9.3% 5.6% 8.9% 6.1%
25 12.8% 5.3% 4.4% 13.8% 16.6%
26 19.9% 14.7% 3.3% 23.1% 18.4%
27 14.4% 5.3% - 15.5% 22.1%
28 14.1% 6.7% 2.2% 15.9% 16.6%
29 9.9% 6.7% - 10.7% 13.5%
30 4.5% 4.0% - 4.7% 6.7%
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%
Average Age 25.8 23.9 21.1 26.3 26.9
Standard Deviation
Not specified: 31
2.74 3.31 2.26 2.14 1.66
Source: The Regions. Data elaborated by Isfol
These figure reflect the well known characteristics of the Italian labour market, that is to say the
high average age of entry to the regular employment market by young people: the average age of
the apprentices taking part in the experimental programmes is 25.6 years old.
Even considering the average age only of the apprentices enrolled on master’s courses, the
largest age class is 26 years, but in order to enrol on this master’s course first-level degree is
sufficient, so a 22 year-old could enrol on a master’s programme. Clearly the participants are
quite old in relation to the programme, and the first impression is that those who enrol on
apprenticeship programmes are graduates who encounter greater difficulty in finding
employment. In a small number of cases (about five per cent), the participants graduated four,
five or six years before starting their apprenticeships, but for the vast majority of participants this
is not the case.
30-31 October 2008 Peer Review Higher Apprenticeship, Italy
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