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Academic guidance in Italy is undergoing an epochal transformation, driven by structural reforms and the need to respond to the challenges of a constantly evolving European labor market. At the center of this revolution are the new roles of the tutor teacher and the guidance teacher, introduced within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). This change is not just a response to early school leaving but represents a profound rethinking of how schools support students in building their life projects, seeking a balance between valuing cultural traditions and the push for innovation.
The goal is to move beyond a guidance model that is often fragmented and purely informational, and to embrace a continuous, formative approach. This process begins in the early school years and develops throughout the student’s journey, helping them to recognize their talents, aspirations, and skills. The challenge is complex: to align the Italian education system with the needs of the European market without losing sight of the specificities of the Mediterranean cultural context, which values the holistic growth of the individual.
To understand the urgency of this reform, it is necessary to analyze the data on early school leaving. Although Italy has shown improvement, with a dropout rate of around 9.8% in 2024, the figure remains above the European average and shows strong regional disparities, with peaks in Southern Italy. Every year, about 100,000 young people leave their studies before graduating, a phenomenon that particularly affects boys (12.2% compared to 7.1% for girls) and students in technical and vocational institutes. In addition to this “explicit dropout,” there is also an “implicit dropout”: students who, despite attending school, do not acquire fundamental skills, a problem affecting nearly a quarter of Italian fifteen-year-olds.
The guidance reform fits into this scenario as one of the cornerstones of the PNRR for education. With Ministerial Decree 328 of 2022, new Guidelines were introduced, mandating guidance modules of at least 30 hours per year in middle and high schools. The objective is twofold: on one hand, to combat school dropout; on the other, to strengthen the connection between the worlds of school, university, and work, to foster more informed choices aligned with each individual’s potential.
The heart of the reform is the introduction of two new professional roles: the tutor teacher and the guidance teacher. Starting in the 2023/2024 school year, about 40,000 teachers began to fill these roles, supporting students in the final three years of high school. The tutor teacher is responsible for a small group of students, helping them to become aware of their potential and to build their educational path. This figure also acts as an “advisor” for families, supporting them during crucial decision-making moments.
The guidance teacher, on the other hand, has a more strategic role. Their task is to analyze labor market data and employment trends provided by the Ministry, and then share this information with students, families, and tutor teachers. This synergy between the two roles is essential for creating a concrete bridge between education and real professional opportunities, both locally and across Europe. To support this process, the Unica Platform has also been introduced, a digital hub that gathers information on study paths and data for the school-to-work transition.
An innovative tool introduced by the reform is the E-Portfolio. This is a digital portfolio that accompanies the student throughout their journey, allowing them to document educational experiences, acquired skills, and personal reflections. The E-Portfolio is not just a resume, but a true tool for self-awareness. Guided by the tutor teacher, the student is encouraged to reflect on their strengths, areas for improvement, and aspirations, thereby developing greater maturity in planning their future. This tool promotes personalized learning and makes transitions between different fields of study smoother, overcoming the rigidity of the school system.
The future of guidance in Italy depends on the ability to integrate tradition and innovation. The Mediterranean culture, with its strong focus on the individual and human relationships, is expressed in the central role of dialogue among the student, tutor, and family. The family is, in fact, a key player in the decision-making process, and its active involvement is one of the keys to the success of the educational path. This “humanistic” approach, however, must engage with the most modern technological and methodological innovations.
Innovation is manifested in the use of digital platforms like Unica and tools like the E-Portfolio, which require new digital skills from teachers. There is a push towards guidance-oriented teaching, which goes beyond the mere transmission of knowledge to value workshops, real-world tasks, and the development of soft skills such as creativity and initiative. The goal is to prepare students not just for a specific profession, but for a constantly changing world of work, where the ability to “learn how to learn” is fundamental.
Effective guidance cannot ignore a careful look at the European labor market. The demand for skills is rapidly transforming, with a growing need for professionals in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. The European Union insists on the need to strengthen these skills from the early years of schooling to reduce the mismatch between educational offerings and business needs. In Italy, this translates into the need to overcome cultural stereotypes that still steer female students away from scientific paths, fueling the gender gap in the workplace.
Guidance must therefore provide clear and up-to-date information on the professions of the future and the educational paths that best prepare students for them, such as the Higher Technical Institutes (ITS Academies). These programs, which are strongly connected to the business landscape, offer high employment prospects and represent a strategic choice for many young people. Modern guidance must be able to value both traditional academic paths and vocational training, presenting a full range of opportunities without prejudice.
The future of academic guidance in Italy is a work in progress. The reform initiated with the PNRR, through the introduction of tutor and guidance teachers and innovative digital tools, has the potential to radically transform how schools support young people. The main challenge will be to make this change structural and widespread, ensuring continuous and adequate training for teachers and building a solid alliance between schools, families, and the world of work. To succeed, it will be crucial to balance the humanistic approach, typical of our culture, with the drive for innovation required by the global context. Only in this way can guidance become a true engine of social equity, capable of enhancing everyone’s talents and preparing conscious citizens and professionals ready for tomorrow’s labor market. An effective measurement of the effectiveness of these new policies will be the next step to ensure continuous improvement.
The new roles of the tutor teacher and guidance teacher are called to collaborate to guide not only students but also their families, recognizing that the family is a key to their children’s future. This new system, if well-implemented, can finally transform guidance from a mere formality into a dynamic and personalized process, capable of combating dropouts and opening doors to a future full of opportunities for all Italian students.
The tutor teacher is an educator, introduced in middle and high schools starting from the 2023/2024 school year, tasked with supporting students in their personal and educational growth. Each tutor follows a group of students to help them discover their potential, make informed choices for the future, and create a personal E-Portfolio. They work in synergy with the guidance teacher and families, acting as a strategic advisor for the student’s educational and professional path.
The National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) is the driving force behind the guidance reform. It funds the introduction of new roles like the tutor teacher and guidance teacher and the implementation of at least 30 hours of guidance modules per year for students. The goal is to reduce early school leaving and align students’ skills with the demands of the labor market, also from a European perspective.
For students, guidance becomes a continuous process rather than a one-time event. Mandatory 30-hour annual guidance modules have been introduced in secondary schools. Each student is supported by a tutor teacher to enhance their talents and is guided in compiling their E-Portfolio, a digital document that collects school experiences, skills, and a personal “capstone project” for each year.
The main goal of the reform, supported by the PNRR, is precisely to combat early school leaving, a phenomenon with still high rates in Italy. Through a personalized approach, with the support of the tutor teacher and activities aimed at discovering each person’s aptitudes, the aim is to increase student motivation. Its effectiveness will depend on proper implementation and the resources made available to schools.
The reform aims to make the Italian education system more aligned with the European dimension. This is achieved by promoting the development of soft and digital skills, which are increasingly in demand internationally, and by encouraging study paths in the STEM field. Furthermore, tools like the E-Portfolio and the Student’s Curriculum are designed to make acquired skills clearer and more marketable for universities and employers throughout Europe.