The CNOS-FAP Federation today

The Salesian Congregation is original in the field of vocational training for:
-its education designed for the overall development of young apprentices’ personality;
- the development of their professional skills;
- the maturation of human, ethical and socio-political qualities aimed at training the honest citizen.
(Fr. Egidio Viganò, Rector Major of Salesians, 1988).

In Italy, Salesian commitment for vocational training has always been high, continuously renewed and aimed at answering to the changeable Italian social, politic and economic background. On December 9, 1977Salesians promoted and established the Federation CNOS-FAP, a civil law Association, in order to promote, coordinate and update their engagement for vocational training. One year later, the Italian law 845/78, the so-called “Legge Quadro”, recognized the main feature of Italian vocational education: its being “pluralistic”, a feature that is still very current and necessary for training system. A purely technical training, therefore, is not sufficiently effective especially when it is aimed at young people (Initial Vocational Training). So the law is placed in the vision of the “professional culture”, a vision that includes the ability to dominate the work and to be protagonists of their own life project. The associations provided by the law 845/78 have been stimulated to develop specific “training proposals”, points of reference for the development of specific training projects. Below are the key Articles of the Law:

• Art. 3. (Powers and functions of the regions).
  According to Art. 117 of the Italian Constitution, the regions exercise legislative power in the field of orientation and vocational training in accordance with the following principles:
  c) arranging the vocational training system by developing public initiatives and respecting the multiplicity of training proposals;

• Art. 4. (Fields of intervention)
  The regions, following the principles of previous articles, regulate with their own laws:
  h) training and updating of personnel working in vocational training activities, respecting the presence of different training proposals through direct initiatives or agreements with universities or other scientific institutions, public or private research bodies and training associations referred to in Article 5.

•  Art. 5. (Organisation of activities). 
  The regions, in accordance with the regional development programmes, prepare multiannual programs and annual plans for the implementation of vocational training activities. The programmes and plans are implemented: a) directly in public facilities, which must be fully used operating, if necessary, their structural and functional adjustment;b) by agreement, in democratic and national organisations of employees, self-employed workers, entrepreneurs or in associations with training and social purposes, or in enterprises or cooperative movement.

• Art. 7. (Educational planning). 
  The regions establish the educational planning of vocational training activities. The programmes, which must be based on versatility, continuity and organic unity of the training activities, must be able to be adapted to local needs and to the various branches of education.

The CNOS-FAP Federation collected studies, researches and publications representing a wide cultural and educational heritage for all those who play an active role in the field of vocational training in Italy.