The “Apprendistato di Alta Formazione e di Ricerca” is an employment contract with a focus on training. It is intended for young people aged 18-29 and it aims at the achievement of an Advanced Education  qualification. Regione Piemonte is aware of the need to provide the private sector with highly qualified young professionals who can boost the innovation capacity of its firms, which is fundamental in today’s competitive model. To this end, Regione Piemonte organizes learning paths that follow the format of the “Apprendistato di Alta Formazione e di Ricerca” for the attainment of the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s and Master’s degree
• 1^st and 2^nd level Specializing Master’s diploma
• Ph.D.
• Research activities

These training programmes are characterized by a strong cooperation between universities and the private sector. By considering the work experience as a true learning process, these programmes contribute to develop skills that actually meet the specific needs of the economic system and are in line with the demand for competences set forth by the businesses of Piemonte.

Precisely because it is a “training contract”, it alternates work experience with training sessions, which take place inside the company or outside, at accredited training centres where students can obtain a qualification.

The “Apprendistato di Alta Formazione e di Ricerca” allows private companies to recruit highly qualified human resources who are trained according to the their corporate needs: when an enterprise hires an apprentice with a contract of “Apprendistato di Alta Formazione e di Ricerca”, it cooperates with the universities for the design of the training project and, at a later stage, it identifies appropriate coordination and management models.

The company shall promote within its premises organizational and professional conditions ensuring that the apprentice is trained for the attainment of the qualification to which the apprenticeship contract is targeted.

The programmes are intended for young people, under the age of 30, recruited in accordance with article 45 of Legislative Decree no. 81/2015 by companies based in Piemonte.

Contractual aspectsEmployers of private companies belonging to all industry sectors can conclude apprenticeship contracts.The contract may not last less than 6 months and its duration is equal to the maximum duration of the  corresponding  Specializing Masters Programme.

An employer can hire a number of apprentices that cannot exceed the ratio of 3 qualified employees already in force to 2 apprentices.

An apprentice is recruited in accordance with the provisions set forth in the collective agreement of the relevant industry sector, which contains the rules on salary, working time, holidays etc.

The remuneration is established in the collective agreement and the apprentice is paid according to his/her salary scheme or sub-scheme. It should be noted that the apprentice’s remuneration can be increased during the course of the programme.

The apprenticeship contract allows the company to hire and train new professionals at a favourable labour cost, since it provides for several economic and fiscal benefits.   

In order to start a contract of “Apprendistato di Alta Formazione e di Ricerca”, the university or the institution of higher education and the employer shall sign a protocol, drawn up in accordance with the template approved by Interministerial Decree of 12^th October 2015, illustrating contents, duration and learning methodology for the training activities carried out inside and outside the company, as well as the target group for this contract (this protocol may include more than one apprenticeship programmes for several qualifications).

The apprenticeship contract shall be concluded in writing, and accompanied by the Piano formativo individuale (PFI) (Individual Training Plan), which can be summarized within the contract itself.
Further information on all matters related to the recruitment of an apprentice is available on the website of Regione Piemonte:

The Specializing Masters Programme provides for:

• training at Politecnico di Torino (lectures and practical classes): about 400 hours
• training at the partner company: about 1100 hours, to be carried out within the employer’s premises, with this approximate distribution:
• hours linked to the external training activities delivered at Politecnico for every single course of the Specializing Masters Programme, to be carried out either individually under the company tutor’s supervision, or in the format of face-to-face classes;
• hours for the development of the project work;
• hours dedicated to self-learning;
• hours allocated to allow the apprentice to return to Politecnico, individually or in small groups, in order to personalize and specialize the learning path, besides assessing the outcomes.

The contract maximum duration for  1^st and 2^nd level Specializing Masters Programmes is 2 years.
Timeframe and implementation: from the joint project design phase (Politecnico and private companies) to the beginning of the activity (recruitment/enrolment in the Specializing Masters Programme), normally a period of six months goes by (this includes: the approval procedure of the University governing bodies, the call for applications, the selection of candidates carried out by the partner companies, the submission of the project proposal to Regione Piemonte).

The creation of a class group is necessary for  the activation of any Specializing Masters Programme offered according to the format of “Apprendistato di Alta Formazione e di Ricerca”.

Apprenticeship contracts can be stipulated provided that a sufficient number of students (at least 13) is reached.

Therefore, private companies intending to join a Specializing Masters programme shall ensure the recruitment of a sufficient number of students in order to create the above mentioned class group.

For further information: master.apprendistato@polito.it