Funded AI training in Italy: how Fondimpresa works
Italy's most widely used joint training fund can cover most of the cost of an AI literacy and training programme. Here is how it works, step by step.
September 16, 2026 · 7 min read · by the aimybusiness team
What a joint training fund is, briefly
Every employer in Italy pays a mandatory contribution of 0.30% of payroll to INPS, the national social security institute, earmarked by law for continuing training. By opting into a joint training fund — a one-off choice made through standard monthly payroll filings, with no deadline — that contribution goes to the chosen fund instead of the state fund, and becomes available to finance staff training. Fondimpresa, backed by Confindustria together with the CGIL, CISL and UIL unions, is the most widely used fund among Italian companies.
The company training account
Companies enrolled in Fondimpresa build up their own "training account" over time, in proportion to what they have contributed. It works like a savings account: the longer a company has been enrolled, the more it accumulates, and those resources are spent by submitting a training plan through an accredited implementing body.
The shared account for companies with little accrued
SMEs that enrolled recently, or have few employees, often do not have enough in their training account to cover a full plan. For this reason Fondimpresa periodically opens calls against a shared "system account", available to companies with insufficient funds, often through training plans shared across several companies in the same area or sector.
What it can fund, in the case of AI training
Calls typically fund the cost of instructors, instructional design, tutoring and, in some cases, a share of indirect costs. They usually do not cover the purchase of software licences or hardware: the funding is for training people, not for the tools they will later use.
The practical steps to activate a programme
- 1. Check or activate enrolment — enrolling in Fondimpresa is free and is expressed through standard monthly payroll filings; if your company has never chosen a fund, its contributions stay with the state fund.
- 2. Check the available training account — an implementing body can query Fondimpresa's portal and tell you within minutes how much your company has accrued.
- 3. Build the training plan — goals, content, participants and schedule are defined; if the plan concerns AI, it is worth designing it together with the people who will actually use it.
- 4. Submit the plan and wait for approval — timing varies by call: from a few weeks for rolling calls to a few months for ranked calls.
- 5. Deliver the training and report on it — at the end, hours delivered and participant attendance are documented, a condition for the contribution to be paid out.
Why it pairs well with the AI literacy obligation
Article 4 of the EU AI Act requires companies to ensure an adequate level of AI literacy among staff who use these systems (we cover this in detail in our dedicated guide). Building a Fondimpresa plan around this obligation lets a company meet a regulatory requirement while funding most of the cost in the same programme. Our Academy designs its training programmes with exactly this logic from the start.
Frequently asked questions
Q.1How long does it take to activate a training plan?
If the company is already enrolled and has a sufficient training account, a plan can start within a few weeks. If it first needs to enrol or access the shared account, timing depends on Fondimpresa's published call schedule.
Q.2Can I fund just an AI course, or do I need a broader plan?
It depends on the call: some fund single-topic plans of just a few days, others require more structured plans across several training areas. In most cases a dedicated AI programme, split by role level, comfortably meets the requirements.
Q.3What if my company has never enrolled in a joint training fund?
You can enrol at any time, at no extra cost: the choice takes effect from the next payroll filing. From that point, resources for future plans start to accrue.
Sources
Fondimpresa's call terms (amounts, deadlines, requirements) can change over time: before submitting a plan, always check the fund's active calls on its official portal or with your implementing body.
Written with the support of artificial intelligence and reviewed by the aimybusiness team, which holds editorial responsibility.
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