On April 2018, ANPAL published the Guidelines for the management of resources attributed to Trainining Funds (“Linee Guida sulla gestione delle risorse finanziarie attribuite ai fondi paritetici interprofessionali per la formazione continua”) (ANPAL, 2018[1]). Some of the most important novelties brought about by the Guidelines are described below. In particular, the Guidelines:
Establish criteria for the use of funding: the Guidelines clarify what channels Training Funds are allowed to use in order to finance training programmes (namely, collective accounts and individual accounts, see Section 2.2). They restrict financing to programmes that clearly identify the competences and skills developed through training, in a view to facilitate skills certification (see Section 5.2). They better regulate (and homogenise) the process for engaging social partners in the approval of training plans. Moreover, – in a view to enhance transparency vis-à-vis firms – they require Training Funds to better define and publish the criteria (e.g. deadlines; selection process criteria) through which resources are allocated to training plans via public calls (avvisi).
Impose all Training Funds to establish a standardised internal regulatory framework: the Guidelines require all Training Funds to develop and publish online an internal regulatory framework – based on a standard format developed and shared by ANPAL – that clarifies the roles of different actors involved in the management and allocation of financial resources, as well as the procedures for the monitoring (both in itinere and ex-post) of TF-sponsored training activities.
Improve transparency and accountability: the Guidelines require Training Funds to publish online, on a regular basis, information related to how funding is being used – e.g. how budget is allocated between training programmes and administrative costs.
Delineate the responsibilities of ANPAL: the Guidelines identify what is the role of ANPAL over the monitoring of the organisation, management, and report-back activities of Training Funds.
Make the rules around “portability” stricter and clearer: the Guidelines re-affirm the principle of portability – according to which firms have the right to switch to one Training Fund to another at any given time – and clarify that internal regulatory framework cannot be used to modify or limit the implementation of such a right (see Section 5.3).
Set the scene for the establishment of an integrated information system for adult learning: the information system will aim to collect data on individuals’ training programmes that have been (totally or partially) financed through public resources. Within this context, Training Funds are invited to send – twice a year – information relative to the financial resources, the activities financed, as well as the beneficiaries of training (firms and workers) (including unique identifiers, e.g. fiscal codes) (see Section 5.4).