Changing Skill Formation in Greece and Italy – Crisis-Induced Reforms in Light of Common Institutional Legacies

Context: After the Eurozone crisis unfolded a decade ago, comparative political economy has investigated reforms of public administration, labour market, welfare state and economic policy particularly in Southern European nations which were hit hardest by crisis. However, analyses skill formation reform, vocational education training (VET), have been scant, despite common problem pressure for emanating from stubbornly high rates youth unemployment similar legacies statist VET. Approach: We investigate VET brought underway Greece Italy during aftermath crisis, asking how far apprenticeship-like forms learning within their systems strengthened. Empirically, we base our analysis on primary secondary sources, having conducted semi-structured expert interviews 2019. Results: find that both countries attempted to strengthen role apprenticeship work-based learning, but politics differed across two cases context While Italy, 'internalised' shaped domestic politics, Greek largely driven exogenously negotiations with Troika. Conclusion: Although undertaken reduce dominance provision expanding apprenticeships these do not amount large scale changes dominant logic school-based provision. In order boost potential terms practical would need continue reform pathways.