The Pathways for Transversal Skills and Orientation (Percorsi per le Competenze Trasversali e l’Orientamento – PCTO) represent a compulsory work-based learning framework for upper secondary schools in Italy. Introduced by Legislative Decree no. 77/2005 and later redefined by Budget Law no. 145/2018, PCTO are included in the Three-Year Plan of the Educational Offer (Piano Triennale dell’Offerta Formativa – PTOF). These programs aim to enhance students’ professional skills and orientation capabilities by integrating training periods in external organizations or structured in-school learning experiences. Despite their central role in bridging education and the labor market, the effectiveness of PCTO remains highly variable, often depending on how they are implemented and perceived by students.

This study, part of the PRIN 2022 project “Pathways for Transversal Skills and Orientation (PCTO) as a Tool for Developing Personal Resources and Combating School Dropout,” explores the transformative potential of integrating student voice with training-research to enhance PCTO experiences. Using a concurrent triangulation design, the study combines quantitative survey analysis with qualitative insights from focus groups involving students from five secondary schools across three Italian regions (Lazio, Lombardy, and Emilia-Romagna). By adopting a student voice approach, this study recognizes students as key stakeholders capable of providing valuable insights into the strengths and limitations of PCTO. Their perspectives not only offer critical reflections on the effectiveness of these pathways but also generate concrete proposals for improvement. These student-driven proposals served as the foundation for a training-research process involving teachers from the participating schools, encouraging a collaborative reflection on how to design more meaningful and engaging work-based learning experiences.

This contribution specifically examines the research conducted in two secondary schools in Lombardy, focusing on the students’ recommendations and their impact on teacher engagement in a training-research framework. The discussion will highlight both the opportunities and challenges of fostering teacher participation in a reflective co-design process, addressing key factors that facilitate or hinder their active involvement.

Ultimately, this study underscores the potential of combining student voice and training-research to reshape PCTO in a participatory and impactful way. At the same time, it examines the difficulties encountered in engaging teachers and provides methodological recommendations to facilitate their active participation in processes of educational innovation.

Keywords: PCTO, student voice, work-based learning, training-research.