Exploring the evolution and impact of the restructured School-to-Work Alternance in Italy: the point of view of external tutors

This article analyses the educational value and effectiveness of Percorsi per le Competenze Trasversali e l’Orientamento ( PCTOs – Paths for Transversal Skills and Orientation ) in Italy from the perspective of external tutors in host organisations. Based on a mixed-methods design, it explores how tutors interpret the aims, practices, and outcomes of PCTOs within the evolving framework of school-to-work policies. Although European and national guidelines present PCTOs as instruments for developing transversal competences and facilitating school-to-work transitions, empirical results reveal persistent differences related to school type, organisational structure, and territorial context. By linking these findings to the broader Italian debate on educational inequalities, the article interprets PCTOs not merely as policy mechanisms but as social devices through which educational differentiation and local disparities are reproduced or, in some cases, challenged.