Conference Program

Across many national contexts, school systems are currently facing a persistent and structural teacher shortage (Dupriez et al., 2016; Ingersoll, 2003), increasingly framed in international debates as a consequence of demographic change (Grimmett & Echols, 2000; Wiggan et al., 2021), declining attractiveness of the profession (Ashiedu & Scott-Ladd, 2012; Thomas Dotta et al., 2025), intensified workloads, and the long-term effects of market-oriented reforms in education (Blanco et al., 2023). While much of the literature has focused on policy responses such as alternative certification routes or incentives for recruitment and retention (Ingersoll et al., 2018; Van Houten, 2009), less attention has been paid to the informal and semi-formal mechanisms through which schools manage staffing shortages. These mechanisms raise important questions about the transformation of teaching as a professional field and the conditions under which professional norms, identities, and careers are constructed.

This paper examines the Italian case (Bryson et al., 2022; Magni, 2025; Magni & Capriotti, 2025) through the lens of the growing use of “Messa a Disposizione” (MAD), an informal recruitment device allowing schools to hire teachers outside official channels such as competitive examinations and national or provincial ranking lists (Blancato & Argentin, 2025; Lagomarsino & Pandolfini, 2025). Originally conceived as an exceptional solution to cover temporary vacancies, MAD has progressively become a routine instrument for coping with chronic shortages, especially in specific geographical regions, subject areas, and in special needs teaching. As a result, increasing numbers of teachers enter classrooms without stable contracts, standardized training paths, or clear prospects for professional continuity.

The analysis situates the MAD phenomenon within broader debates on the transformation of professions and educational work. First, it engages with research on labour-market dualisation and precarious careers (McGrath-Champ et al., 2023; Seo, 2021), highlighting how MAD contributes to the fragmentation of the teaching workforce and differentiated professional statuses within schools. Second, it shows how informal recruitment mechanisms disrupt professional socialisation, weaken classroom authority, and destabilise teachers’ professional identities (Wilson et al., 2004). Finally, the paper connects the spread of MAD to wider discussions on the decline of institutional legitimacy and the growing heteronomy of educational work (Adams, 2018; Imig & Flores Fernandes, 2025), as schools reconcile professional norms with organisational urgency and managerial constraints.

Empirically, the paper draws on a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with formally trained teachers following standard recruitment paths and teachers employed through MAD. The interviews explore trajectories into teaching, classroom experiences, relations with colleagues and school leaders, perceptions of professional recognition, and career expectations, enabling a comparative analysis of structural inequalities and subjective experiences.

The findings show that MAD teachers often experience accelerated but fragile entry into the profession, marked by weak institutional support, limited recognition, and heightened exposure to uncertainty. At the same time, their presence reshapes organisational dynamics and challenges professional boundaries. The paper concludes that MAD should be understood not merely as an emergency response to teacher shortages, but as an indicator of deeper transformations affecting the governance, legitimacy, and professional foundations of teaching today.