Over the past ten years, theItaly not only has it not recovered ground on adult skills, but in some areas it is even worsened. Piaac survey of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) highlights a worrying picture for our country. In the three areas analyzed – literacy, mathematics e resolution some problems – Italy is consistently positioned in the last positions of the world rankings.
They shine in the top spots Finland, Japan, Netherlands, Norway e Sweden. Italy, on the other hand, is sixth-last in reading ability, fourth-last in mathematical ability, and third-last in problem solving. More than a quarter of the adult population is at the minimum level or below, a figure that places the country among the worst in Europe.
A widening gap
The OECD's picture is merciless: compared to 2013, the Italian situation has worsened. If the average results in literacy and mathematics seem unchanged compared to 2011-2012, the gap among those who have skills Elevate and who he is devoid of it has expanded. Italy has not even managed to maintain the position it acquired in the midst of the global economic crisis. Yet another negative record for our country, which cannot even be partially offset by the migration flows, since social exclusion – as the Organization highlights – also becomes educational.
Literacy: 35% of Italian adults have serious deficiencies in literacy (OECD average: 26%), being able to understand only short texts and explicitly organized information. On the contrary, only 5% are among the best, able to analyze complex texts and evaluate complex meanings. The OECD average for this excellent group is 12%, a figure that highlights the delay of our country.
Mathematics: 35% of Italians are at the minimum level or below, compared to an OECD average of 25%. This group includes people who can only perform simple calculations, such as adding or subtracting small numbers, but are unable to tackle problems that require multiple steps. Only 6% excel in numeracy, compared to the OECD average of 14%.
Troubleshooting: here the data is even more alarming. Almost half of Italian adults (46%) do not exceed the minimum level, while only 1% reach the highest levels, compared to the OECD average of 5%. This data highlights the difficulty Italians have in dealing with complex problems or situations that require adaptation to variables.
Generations compared: no progress among young people
Le differences generational reveal another problem: if the adults between 55 and 65 years old show lower skills than young people (25-34 years), the young Italians they still remain outside of under of media OECD in all sectors. This highlights an intergenerational stagnation that limits the country's ability to improve.
Young Italians between the ages of 16 and 24 score on average 263 points in literacy, 259 in numeracy and 245 in adaptive problem solving, all values lower than international averages.
The skills mismatch
Another critical element is the misalignment between skills e labor market demands. 40% of Italian workers do a job that is not consistent with their educational qualifications: 15% are overqualified and 18% are underqualified. Furthermore, 6% of workers declare that they do not possess the skills required for their role, a percentage lower than the OECD average (10%), but which reflects inadequate training to face the challenges of the modern market.
Curiously, the social and economic cost of this misalignment in Italy is less evident than in other OECD countries, but this is mainly due to a system of wages generally Bass which penalizes everyone, regardless of qualifications.
The decline of skills: proposals to reverse the trend
Secondo Stefano Scarpetta, Director of the OECD Employment Directorate, urgent action is needed on several fronts to address the problem:
- Improve the quality of education: It is not enough to increase the number of qualifications; it is essential to ensure that education develops skills that are truly useful for modern economies.
- Strengthen continuing education: in Italy, training for adults is lacking, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises, which represent the heart of the national economic fabric.
- Promote virtuous models: Higher Technical Institutes (ITS), which show high success rates thanks to their alignment with market needs, can represent a point of reference.
- Supporting innovation and competitiveness: through training vouchers and business networks, it is possible to incentivize the improvement of skills and promote economic growth.
Reversing the trend will require a concerted effort, both political and social. The OECD stresses that it is not too late to improve, but it will be necessary to act decisively to move up the rankings and equip the country with the skills needed to face the challenges of the future.
