The "Excelsior Employment and Training Information System" is a permanent project set up in 1997 by the Chambers of Commerce, Unioncamere, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies and the European Union, with the aim of monitoring the prospects of labour demand and professional and training needs expressed by enterprises. Since 2004, the project has also been supported by ANPAL.
Analysis of professional needs of enterprises. The system is a reference point for analysing the training needs of enterprises and for following the quantitative dynamics of labour demand, at national, regional and local level.
Skills delivered
What types of skill does the initiative deliver?
General employability skills (team working, communication, etc.)
Methods
Methods
What methods of undertaking skills assessments and / or skills anticipation does the policy instrument utilise?
Skills forecasting
The data collected allow the construction of long-term forecasting models (up to 5 years).
Employer surveys
The analysis of the country's training needs and the changes in labour market demand takes place through a monthly questionnaire addressed to enterprises (continuous survey) with CAWI method.
Other
Surveys are complemented by administrative data (Register of Enterprises of the Chambers of Commerce), which integrates data from INPS (Istituto Nazionale Previdenza Sociale) and ISTAT data on "business trust". On the basis of these sources, it is possible to construct short, medium and long-term forecasts.
Use of skills intelligence
How is labour market information / skills intelligence used within the initiative?
The administrative information on which the excelsior system is based is used to promote all those active labour policies capable of responding to the country's employment needs. The system has been updated since 2017 to include an integration of data extrapolated through enterprise surveys and administrative data from INPS, in order to obtain more precise results for the implementation of short-term policies.
Main body or organisation with overall responsibility for the initiative.
National agency
Unioncamere
Other involved organisations
Which other organisations have a role in the initiative?
National agency
The National Agency for Active Labour Policies (ANPAL) is in charge of ensuring the functioning and updating of the site. INPS provides useful data to allow the construction of more accurate and precise forecasts.
Chambers of Commerce
The project was launched jointly by Unioncamere and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies in 1997.
Research centres, universities
ISTAT (National Institute of Statistics) provides expert support through studies and research.
Sustainability
Success factors
SUCCESS FACTORS in the implementation
The main success factor of the project is the integration of information addressed to enterprises through sample surveys and data obtained from administrative sources as a result of the use of the "Registro delle Imprese delle Camere di Commercio" (Chambers of Commerce Business Register), which has been integrating information from INPS sources for a few years now. This provides data on labour demand on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
Barriers
BARRIERS in the implementation
Currently, there are no clear barriers to the implementation of the project. The main problems related to the compilation of sample surveys addressed to enterprises (potentially on a voluntary basis) have been solved by making the survey "con obbligo di risposta (mandatory survey)" for the National Statistical System.
Monitoring and evaluation
MONITORING and EVALUATION: Is progress measured regularly? What are the indicators used to measure progress of the policy instrument? Have any evaluations been conducted?
Analyses conducted by the Excelsior system provide monthly, quarterly and annual information on the employment and training needs of businesses at national, regional and local level. The studies carried out ensure the dissemination of labour market information through statistical volumes (or reports), bulletins and the updating of the web platform.
Updates
UPDATES: whether there have been any major updates of the initiative since it has been implemented?
As of 2017, the Excelsior system has been updated, introducing a series of changes that have affected the survey techniques, the organisation of the statistical survey and the data processing methodology. For example, there has been a shift to a monthly survey (and no longer quarterly/annually), the CAWI technique has been implemented, greater involvement of the chamber system has been adopted and the questionnaire to companies has been simplified
Yes
Effectiveness
EVIDENCE ON EFFECTIVENESS: How effective is the policy instrument?
As the project is used to support active labour market policy implementation processes by providing information on training and employment needs, it is not evaluated for effectiveness. In any case, the analyses carried out are the basis of any active training and employment policy launched in Italy since 1997.
Sustainability
SUSTAINABILITY: How sustainable is the policy instrument? Do you expect the instrument to continue over the next few years and why?
Unless there are interruptions in the financial flows for the development and updating of the excelsior system, it will continue to fulfil its mandate for the coming years. Currently, forecasts for the years 2021-2025 have already been constructed and surveys for the June-August quarter are in progress.
Long-term Directive on Vocational Training aimed at Reducing Unemployment (Labour Market, 2018-2021, Piedmont Region)
Direttiva Pluriennale Sulla Formazione Professionale Finalizzata alla lotta contro la Disoccupazione (Mercato del Lavoro) - Regione Piemonte 2018/2021
The Directive aims to increase job placement opportunities for young people and adults through the provision of free courses, implemented by the training agencies accredited by the region, in order to contribute to the placement and re-placement of participants and enabling them to acquire technical-professional and generic skills immediately usable in the labour market. The main objectives of the measure concern the reduction of the mismatch between workers and companies' professional needs, as well as the reduction of the gap between theoretical training implemented in schools and the technical and professional skills required by companies. The measure is implemented taking into account the results of the regional survey on professional needs conducted by IRES (Piedmont Institute for Economic and Social Research).
Legal base (E.g. Law, regulation, implementing provision, other)
Law
Starting period
TIMESPAN: In what year did the initiative commence?
The instrument is regularly in operation since the approval of Piedmont Region's law on Vocational Training and Guidance (1995). The currently operational instrument covers the period 2018-2021.
Perspective
PERSPECTIVE: is the initiative based on evidence derived from skill forecasts or foresight activities?
The implementation of the directive is anticipated by analyses on the forecast of professional needs in the Piedmont region, which are periodically carried out by IRES. On the basis of the information collected concerning the labour market, also through other stakeholders, IRES produces indicators able to capture the various employment needs subdivided by sector and highlights the job skills that offer more employment opportunities.
Policy area
To which POLICY AREAS(s) does the initiative apply?
The training courses offered by the Region differ according to the target group. For unemployed young people training courses with internships are offered to enhance skills and job placement in the sectors that offer the greatest potential for growth
Unemployed adults with low educational qualifications are offered training courses with internships to meet the professional needs of companies in the area.
Skills delivered
What types of skill does the initiative deliver?
Basic literacy and numeracy skills
Basic digital skills
General employability skills (team working, communication, etc.)
Methods
Methods
What methods of undertaking skills assessments and / or skills anticipation does the policy instrument utilise?
Skills forecasting
Ires uses an established methodology for its analysis of professional needs. Skill forecasting are made on the basis of historical series from ISTAT, integrated with exogenous variables (regional GDP and exports) from Prometeia: the model used is the VAR (Vector Autoregressive Model), which is integrated in order to also consider the so-called replacing demand.
Use of skills intelligence
How is labour market information / skills intelligence used within the initiative?
The IRES Research Centre has the role of assessing the evolution of employment stocks in the medium term for each sector in the region. The Piedmont Region, based on specific criteria such as course quality and training plans, allows the accreditation of training providers.
Main body or organisation with overall responsibility for the initiative.
Regional ministry
Piedmont Region
Other involved organisations
Which other organisations have a role in the initiative?
National ministry
The state and the European Union provide the funds for the implementation of the project.
Regional ministry
The implementation of training plans is carried out by the Region, which adapts on the basis of the information collected by IRES. Also, the region is responsible for monitoring and implementing the programme.
Social partner: employer organisation
Social Partners, in cooperation with the Provinces and the Region, discuss the instrument's structure and contents.
Social partner: trade union
Training Providers
Training providers are identified by the region through a "call for application", in accordance with certain quality standards
Research centres, universities
The IRES Research Centre gives indications on forecasts regarding the training and professional needs of companies for the coming years
Sustainability
Success factors
SUCCESS FACTORS in the implementation
The success factors of the policy are two: 1) a close link and continuous communication between all the actors involved (from the initial phase of training needs analysis to the final phase of course delivery); 2) , the diversification of the courses according to the potential recipients.
Barriers
BARRIERS in the implementation
One of the main difficulties of the measure lies in linking all the implementation phases, from data collection (which also takes place through other actors), to the actual implementation of the training courses, to their evaluation in terms of employment improvement. The implementation of such a large project requires time to allow methodologies to be consolidated.
Monitoring and evaluation
MONITORING and EVALUATION: Is progress measured regularly? What are the indicators used to measure progress of the policy instrument? Have any evaluations been conducted?
As the measure is still in place, there are no evaluations yet for the 2018/2021 directive. However, IRES regularly records the effectiveness of training policies in previous years using: direct interviews with beneficiaries, analysis of changes in employment and course participation rates, number of training courses that were activated and successfully concluded.
Updates
UPDATES: whether there have been any major updates of the initiative since it has been implemented?
No
Effectiveness
EVIDENCE ON EFFECTIVENESS: How effective is the policy instrument?
Currently, there are no studies on the effectiveness of the tool for the years 2018/2021. However, in previous years, many IRES studies (such as "The employment effect of vocational training in Piedmont") have highlighted the effectiveness of training tools in terms of increasing the skills and employment opportunities of beneficiaries. Those who have benefited most from the measure have been adults and young people with low educational qualifications.
Sustainability
SUSTAINABILITY: How sustainable is the policy instrument? Do you expect the instrument to continue over the next few years and why?
The measure has been used for many years and will certainly be renewed for the three-year period 2021/2024. The reason lies in its potential to provide, through training courses tailored to the recipient, skills and competencies that are spendable in the labour market and that allow for a greater chance of being employed.
Permanent National Information System for occupational needs
Sistema nazionale permanente per i fabbisogni professionali (per le professioni)
The instrument, implemented by Isfol (the National Institute for Employees' Training, now National Institute for Public Policies Analysis) and Istat (the National Institute for Statistics), provides data and information about professions' contents, quantitative relevance, short and medium term trends, characterising competences and vacancies. The available data and information are targeted to the general public, but also to policy makers.
The website is aimed at providing data and projections on training and employment needs at regional and national level.
Methods
Methods
What methods of undertaking skills assessments and / or skills anticipation does the policy instrument utilise?
Skills forecasting
Forecasts are constructed on the basis of the 'scenario methodology', in a process of identifying trends and drivers that are used in the exploration and prefiguration of the most likely scenarios among those possible.
Skill audits
The survey, carried out using the CATI (Computer assisted telephone interviewing) technique, aims to collect qualitative information on the needs of enterprises in terms of lack of specific knowledge/competences related to professional figures present in private enterprises.
Other
Employee survey: the interviews, carried out using the Capi (Computer assisted personal interviewing) technique, aim to collect information useful to represent the characteristics of the professions, with particular reference to the content of the work carried out and the organisational context in which it takes place
Stakeholders
Main responsible body
Main body or organisation with overall responsibility for the initiative.
National agency
INAPP (National Institute for Public Policies Analysis, once ISFOL)
Other involved organisations
Which other organisations have a role in the initiative?
National ministry
The Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy oversee the project.
Chambers of Commerce
Unioncamere (the national network of the Chambers of Commerce), together with INPS (National Institute for Social Security) and INAIL (National Institute for Safety at Work) provides detailed information on the labour market situation.
Research centres, universities
ISTAT and other national research institutes provide data to update the site periodically.
Sustainability
Success factors
SUCCESS FACTORS in the implementation
The main factor improving the success of the instrument was the integration of data/info and having different sources using the Istat National Classification of Professions (CP2011) as communication protocol.
Barriers
BARRIERS in the implementation
The main barrier to the implementation, largely overcome, is the voluntary basis of the cooperation among the various stakeholders/partners that provide data/information to the System. In fact, on top of INAPP and Istat, all the network's partners have the production of the data/info they pass to the system in their mission, but they do not have the obligation to pass them to the System. This sometimes caused delays in the transmission of data/info by the partners to INAPP and Istat with the consequence of the System not being promptly updated.
Monitoring and evaluation
MONITORING and EVALUATION: Is progress measured regularly? What are the indicators used to measure progress of the policy instrument? Have any evaluations been conducted?
The indicators used for measuring the progress of the instrument are: the number of professions/jobs fully included in the system (also as a rate of the total number of professions/jobs mapped in Italy); the number of visit to the System's website; the number of stakeholder/partners cooperating in the regular feeding of the System (also as a rate of the universe of those entitled); and the updating of the data/information included in the System. The instrument's progress with reference to these indicators is regularly measured by INAPP as the System's responsible agency.
Updates
UPDATES: whether there have been any major updates of the initiative since it has been implemented?
No
Effectiveness
EVIDENCE ON EFFECTIVENESS: How effective is the policy instrument?
Due to the instrument's characteristics and objectives (a support-decision system), its effectiveness and impact are not assessed. With reference to the most relevant instrument's progress indicators, the main figures are as follows: about 800 so-called "professional units" are described in the system using more than 300 variables; and for all the Italian Regions/Autonomous Provinces and all the economic sectors (as classified by Istat), updated occupational forecasts are available. The benefits and beneficiaries largely correspond to those expected. No relevant unexpected benefits or costs derived so far from the instrument's implementation.
Sustainability
SUSTAINABILITY: How sustainable is the policy instrument? Do you expect the instrument to continue over the next few years and why?
The instrument is going to continue in the next years, because its updating and functioning is part of the missions of all the partners who are involved in its implementation and of INAPP and Istat. The widening of partners'/stakeholders' network, on one side, and the inclusion of the Public Administrations' professions, on the other side, are the two most relevant developments expected for the System in the short time.