The lasting impact of Covid-19 continues to be felt among university students, especially those who began their academic journey in 2021. In contrast, technical and vocational school graduates from the same year appear to have an advantage, with an employment rate that has reached 35%, marking a growth of five points compared to their predecessors in 2020. These data emerge from the 2024 edition of Eduscopio, the Agnelli Foundation platform dedicated to school orientation.
The Agnelli Foundation’s analysis focuses on 2021 graduates, whose academic careers were heavily impacted by the pandemic. They faced the first lockdown in their fourth year, and much of their fifth year was spent in similar conditions. Although there have been improvements in average high school graduation scores — up to 83 from 77 in 2019 — university results show worrying signs.
Researchers caution that direct causal relationships cannot be established, but the difficulties of this cohort in their first year of university are not surprising. The percentage of students who did not take exams in their first year increased to almost 20%, a significant increase from the 14% recorded in the years before the pandemic.
The 2024 edition of Eduscopio also offers an overview of the best-performing high schools. In Milan, the private Sacro Cuore confirms its position at the top of the classical high schools, followed by Berchet. In Turin, the Gioberti high school has surpassed the Cavour, positioning itself as the first classical high school in the city. Among the technical institutes, the Vallauri in Fossano stands out with an employment rate of 85%. In Lombardy, the provinces of Bergamo and Brescia are home to some of the most effective technical institutes for job placement. Rubini in Romano di Lombardia reaches a rate of 84%, followed by Marzoli and Castelli.
While the effects of Covid-19 continue to influence students' educational choices and professional careers, tools like Eduscopio remain essential to guide families in the selection of high schools. The challenge for students and educational institutions is to make up ground and ensure a better future for new generations, allowing them to successfully face the world of work or an academic career.
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