Microlearning and microcredentials in Italy: Strengthening workforce development and transparency

The role of CVET in closing the skills gap

Recent analyses by the OECD (2024) highlight that a considerable proportion of employees in European companies lack the skills required to meet workplace demands. Skill gaps remain a widespread challenge across the EU, with over one-third of firms reporting a mismatch between the skills they require, and those their employees possess. In Italy this issue is particularly pronounced, with the OECD estimating that 37 per cent of companies experience such mismatches (ibid.).

Addressing these gaps often relies on CVET initiatives aimed at professional development and upskilling. However, CVET only proves effective when it is high-quality and specifically designed to address skill deficiencies among adult workers.

Problematic in the current transitions – both digital and green – is the “CVET paradox”: low-skilled and low-qualified workers, who stand to benefit the most from upskilling opportunities, are the least likely to participate in such initiatives. This dynamic not only reduces the labour market’s adaptability but also hinders efforts to foster social inclusion, as these workers may be excluded from upskilling and reskilling opportunities essential for accessing new career prospects.

In this context, it is imperative to foster a culture of lifelong learning that is accessible to all workers. Flexible further training programmes, such as microlearning, offer promising solutions.

This article distinguishes between microlearning as a delivery method and microcredentials as certifications of competences (cf. Info box).

Microlearning and microcredentials – a gamechanger?

While CVET is a cornerstone of workforce resilience and employability, participation rates in Italy remain below the European average. According to Eurostat’s 2022 Adult Education Survey, only 35.7 per cent of Italian adults participate in non-formal learning activities, compared to an EU average that is approximately eleven percentage points higher.¹ This disparity highlights the need for targeted strategies to increase adult learning participation and ensure inclusion of low-skilled workers in particular.

Microlearning is a new tool for both businesses and employees that is designed to meet different needs and improve accessibility. In this context, microcredentials play a crucial role in recognising and validating competencies acquired through microlearning (cf. Cedefop 2023; OECD 2023).

Cedefop (2023) and OECD (2023) emphasise the close correlation between microcredentials, the learning outcomes and the labour market. National certification systems, aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), facilitate the standardisation and transparency of acquired skills, improving the recognition of qualifications in the labour market. While the OECD (2023) highlights the potential of microcredentials to enhance employability and address skills gaps, evidence on their direct labour market impact remains limited. In contrast, Cedefop (2023) underscores the value of microcredentials in supporting employers to upskill and reskill their workforce. In this context, microlearning, as a flexible and targeted learning approach, is an effective method for delivering these credentials and addressing skills shortages, particularly in rapidly evolving labour markets.

But how widespread are these approaches in the Italian labour market so far? For this purpose, we first analyse INDACO-Companies 2022 survey data, highlighting microlearning trends in Italian companies. In a second step, we expand the analysis to include the perspective of employees, drawing on the INDACO-Adults survey (cf. Info box).

Trends in digital training delivery and the adoption of microlearning in Italian companies

The shift towards modularised CVET has been highlighted in the INAAP INDACO-Companies survey, which shows that microlearning has become increasingly prevalent in corporate training practices, particularly since the onset of the pandemic. This paradigm shift, towards microlearning has been a response to organisational changes driven by the adoption of remote working (cf. Pedone 2024).

The use of microlearning of microlearning (cf. Fig. 1) significantly varies by company size, with large companies (250+ employees) reaching 22.4 per cent, more than triple the rate of micro-enterprises (7.3 %). Geographically, microlearning is more prevalent in the North-West (8.1 %) compared to the Centre and South (6.5 %), reflecting a concentration of technologically advanced firms in industrialised regions. This geographic and size-related disparity indicates that smaller firms and those in less developed areas face challenges in leveraging innovative learning strategies due to limited resources and lacking digital infrastructure.

Among companies adopting microlearning, the most common approach involves self-paced digital modules, which allow employees to manage their own learning schedules within a structured programme during working hours.

It can be inferred that company representatives generally view microlearning favourably (cf. Fig. 2). Companies typically recognise the effectiveness of microlearning in addressing specific challenges. Microlearning offer a similar advantage by allowing workers to rapidly acquire specific skills without significant disruption to their work activities. Moreover, microlearning is seen as a valuable complement to traditional training that should be more integrated into existing programmes to enhance employees’ development. Additionally, companies appreciate the practicality of microlearning and its flexibility: available in various formats, including online, and accessible asynchronously, making them suitable for professionals balancing work and personal commitments. Ultimately, they seem to effectively meet the specific qualification needs of companies, swiftly closing skills gaps and improving operational competitiveness and efficiency.

Building upon the perspective of companies, the data on adult learners further underscores the relevance of microlearning and microcredentials in CVET. The findings from the INDACO-Adults survey (2022) indicate that microlearning is utilised across different education levels and employment status, with the highest engagement among individuals with higher education qualifications (24.9 %). Notably, employed individuals report the highest participation rate (18.1 %), suggesting that microlearning is particularly attractive to those already in the workforce. Adults with a low education level have used microlearning less (cf. Tab. 1).

Moreover, the perceived effectiveness of microlearning is evident, with 77.6 per cent of respondents affirming that it effectively addresses workplace challenges (cf. Tab. 2). The data also highlight that employees would like to see more integration of microlearning into traditional learning methods (72.6 %) and would like their employers to place more emphasis on microlearning (56.8 %). Interestingly, while 53.2 per cent of respondents acknowledge the potential of a standardised microlearning certification for professional development, this figure suggests that further efforts may be needed to enhance awareness and credibility. It is interesting to note that the judgments of the adults with a low education level do not differ much from the average values. These insights reinforce the notion that microlearning and microcredentials can serve as key instruments in fostering upskilling and reskilling within the adult workforce, bridging skill gaps and supporting lifelong learning pathways.

Future perspectives for integrating microcredentials into Italy’s VET system

Microcredentials, which provide certification for acquired competencies, can complement microlearning by validating the skills developed through small, focused learning segments, thereby enhancing their recognition and applicability.

Together they provide a flexible response to skills mismatches, aligning with European transparency objectives. Italy’s Piano Nuove Competenze – Transizioni decree² has established a regulatory framework for microcredentials, facilitating their integration into the national system and improving the national and international recognition of competencies. Crucially, the implementation of the plan formalised by the Ministerial Decree of July 9, 2024³ expands skill certification in Italy, involving new stakeholders (the Interprofessional Funds for Continuing Education, the National Union of Chambers of Commerce, and Sviluppo Lavoro Italia⁴) and recognising competencies from non-formal learning, thus fostering inclusivity beyond traditional education. The certification process includes four phases – competency identification, evidence documentation, skill evaluation, and formal recognition – ensuring transparency and alignment with European and OECD standards.

The regulatory context surrounding microcredentials underscores their value as a tool for ensuring transparency in skill certification. These credentials offer a clear, portable way to recognise competencies, facilitating workforce development and supporting Italy’s alignment with European labour market goals. However, their full potential can only be realised through standardisation, increased awareness, and integration within existing qualification frameworks.

Roberto Angotti
ReferNet Italy Coordinator, National Institute for the Public Policy Analysis (INAPP), Rome

Alessandra Pedone
ReferNet Italy expert, National Institute for the Public Policy Analysis (INAPP), Rome

(A German translation of the article has been published in BWP 2/2025)