Human Capital 4.0: Readiness of Initial Vocational Education Programmes in Italy and Germany

ABSTRACT The rapid pace of technological innovation and the advent of Industry 4.0 have profoundly transformed labour markets and the nature of work. This paper examines the preparedness of Initial Vocational Education and Training (IVET) programmes in Germany and Italy to meet the demands of Human Capital 4.0. Utilising a comparative analysis of three IVET programmes, this study investigates the skills and competencies these programmes aim to develop and evaluates their alignment with the requirements of a technologically advanced economy. In Germany, the dual system's practical orientation, strong industry feedback mechanisms, and continuous curriculum updates position it as a model of high readiness. The integration of practical training and close collaboration with employers ensures that students acquire relevant skills, making the German IVET system highly responsive to labour market needs. In contrast, Italy's predominantly school‐based IVET system emphasises theoretical knowledge with limited practical exposure. The centralised, state‐driven feedback mechanism in Italy leads to slower adaptation to industry changes, affecting the system's readiness to equip students with the necessary skills for Industry 4.0. Findings reveal that Germany's IVET programme is nominally better aligned with Human Capital 4.0, as it embraces soft skills, cognitive skills, digital competencies, and emotional intelligence. Italy's IVET programmes, while strong in theoretical knowledge, need to enhance their practical training components, incorporate industry feedback more effectively and integrate emotional intelligence to improve readiness. This paper contributes to the ongoing discourse on vocational education reform by highlighting the critical role of practical training and industry collaboration in preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0. It underscores the importance of revising traditional education systems to meet the dynamic needs of the modern economy and suggests areas for improvement in both German and Italian IVET systems.