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Francis to the National Confederation of Vocational Education and Training (Confap)
Early school leaving is a tragedy!
We need legislation that fosters the social recognition of young people
Early school leaving is a tragedy and if it is necessary to promote legislation that favours the social recognition of young people, it is even more important to build a bridge between generations, in which the skills of those who have left school are at the service of those who are entering the labour market”.
This was said by Pope Francis to the members of the National Confederation for Vocational Training and Retraining (CONFAP), who were received in audience this morning, Friday 3 May, in the Paul VI Hall, on the 50th anniversary of its foundation on the initiative of the Italian Bishops’ Conference (CEI).
Mr. Minister of Education, Mr. Valditara, dear brothers and sisters,
I welcome you all and greet in particular the President of CONFAP, the trainers, educators and young people present, all of you who are actively involved in vocational training institutions.
Your confederation is 50 years old, while we are also celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Forma FP Association. I would like to start by saying “thank you”. Thank you because your service, inspired by the social teaching of the Church, is a contribution of vital importance to the society in which we live.
With your daily commitment, you are an expression of the rich and varied spirituality of various religious institutes, which have in their charism the service of young people through professional formation.
These are modern training courses, with a high quality of methodologies, laboratory experiences and teaching, which make them a flagship in the panorama of professional training..
And, what is even more important, your offer of formation is integral, because in addition to the quality of the tools and teaching, you reserve special care and attention especially for young people who find themselves on the margins of social and ecclesial life.
Thank you for what you are doing; Thank you to the trainers who are passionately dedicated to young people. And in this spirit of gratitude, I would like to offer you some reflections on the three words that characterize your commitment: young people, formation, profession.
First of all, young people — there are so many of you here! —.
They are one of the most vulnerable categories of our time.
Young people, always full of talent and potential, are also particularly vulnerable, both because of certain anthropological conditions and because of various cultural aspects of the time in which we live.
I am not only referring to NEETs, those who are neither in training nor in employment, but also to certain social choices that expose them to the winds of dislocation and degradation.
In fact, many young people leave their areas of origin to look for employment elsewhere, often without finding opportunities that match their dreams; some then want to work but have to settle for precarious and underpaid contracts; still others, in this context of social fragility and exploitation, live in dissatisfaction and leave their jobs..
Faced with these and other similar situations, we must all become aware of one thing: abandonment of education and training is a tragedy!
Listen to it, it’s a tragedy.
And, if it is necessary to promote legislation to favour the social recognition of young people, it is even more important to construct a generational change where the skills of those who are leaving the labour market are at the service of those who are entering. In other words, that adults share the dreams and desires of the young, they introduce them, they support them, they encourage them without judging them…
In this regard, I would like to say to you who spend your Christian life creatively in this field: do not lose sight of anyone, be attentive to young people, take care of those who have not had opportunities or who come from disadvantaged social situations.
Not all of them have received the indispensable support of the family and the Christian community, and we are called to take responsibility for this, because none of them can be shown the door, especially the poorest and most marginalized, who risk serious forms of exclusion, including migrants.
Those who feel discarded can end up in humanly degrading forms of social hardship, and we must not accept this!
The second word is formation, which indicates an indispensable commitment to generate the future. The transformations of work are increasingly complex, not least due to new technologies and developments in artificial intelligence.
And here we are called to reject two temptations:
On the one hand, technophobia, that is, the fear of technology that leads to rejecting it;
On the other hand, technocracy, i.e. the illusion that technology can solve all problems.
Instead, it is a matter of investing resources and energy, because the transformation of work requires continuous, creative and up-to-date training.
And at the same time, it is also necessary to commit ourselves to restoring dignity to some jobs, especially manual ones, which are still socially unrecognized.
Good vocational training is an antidote to early school leaving and a response to the demand for labour in different sectors of the economy.
But, as you have taught me, good vocational training cannot be improvised.
A bond with families is needed, as in any type of educational experience; And we need a healthy and effective relationship with companies, willing to include young people in their ranks.
For you, these are the two poles of reference, because together with technical skills, human virtues are important: a technique without humanity becomes ambiguous, risky and is not truly human, it is not truly formative.
Training must provide young people with tools to discern between job offers and forms of exploitation.
The first word is “young people”. The second word is “training”. The third word profession.
Youth, education and profession.
The profession defines us. “What do you do for a living?” a person is asked to get to know her.
“What’s your name? What do you do for a living?”: we introduce others through their work.
That was the case also for Jesus, recognized as the “carpenter’s son” (Mt 13:55) or simply as “the carpenter” (Mk 6:3).
Work is a fundamental aspect of our lives and our vocation.
And yet, today we are witnessing a degradation of the meaning of work, which is increasingly interpreted in relation to profit rather than as an expression of one’s dignity and contribution to the common good.
Therefore, it is important that formation courses be at the service of the overall growth of the person, in his or her spiritual, cultural and working dimensions.
“When one discovers that God is calling him to something, that he is made for it — it may be nursing, carpentry, communication, engineering, teaching, art or any other job — then he will be able to bring forth his best capacities for sacrifice, generosity and dedication. Knowing that one does not do things just for the sake of doing them, but with meaning, […] makes these activities offer one’s heart a special experience of fullness” (Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, n. Christus Vivit, 273).
Three words: youth, training, profession.
Don’t forget them!
I encourage you to continue to care about young people, training and the profession.
And I thank you, because through your creativity you show that it is possible to combine work and the vocation of the person.
Because good vocational training enables you to do a job and, at the same time, to discover the meaning of your being in the world and in society.
I accompany you with my prayers. I cordially bless all of you and your families.
And I recommend you: do not forget to pray for me. Thank you!
