Transfer and Adaptation of Training Vouchers for flexible and individually targeted training options

(www.transfervouchertrentino.it )

Leonardo da Vinci – Transfer of Innovation project (2009-2011) IT , EL, ES, NO, UK

Provincia Autonoma di Trento – Ufficio Fondo Sociale Europeo (www.fse.provincia.tn.it ) (LLP-LDV-TOI-09-IT-0474)

Employment and vocational training policies represent one of the major expenditures in Europe, in particular due to the support to vocational training as part of an active labour market. For this reason, the attempt was to improve the system as much as possible through the personalization of the training offer. In this view, many European countries have adopted tools based on the use of training vouchers.

Over the last few years, the Autonomous Province of Trento has developed a training voucher system with co-funding from the ESF; these initiatives achieved positive results from 2003 to 2008 when over 36000 training vouchers were issued also encouraging access to the training system of a target group that would be difficult to identify with the traditional training offer.

This system led to an improvement in the population’s linguistic and computer skills through a “catalogue of training opportunities” including over 300 language courses, as well as over 450 computer courses spread all over the territory, in order to encourage attendance also of those parts of the population living in peripheral areas of Trentino.

Starting with these results, the TAV project intended to transfer the training voucher system to Western Macedonia (Greece). Special attention was paid to all the constituent aspects (training vouchers, catalogue of training opportunities and guidance services), since they are part of an integrated mechanism entailing an innovative methodological approach with respect to the individual training demand.

The TAV project is based on the transfer of a voucher system, proving how the training voucher system developed in Trentino is adaptable to other countries or regions. It is necessary however to consider what features and characteristics of each territory should be taken into account and what can facilitate or hinder the implementation of a voucher system.