Ricominciamo? Come le donne over 50 imparano a insegnare

This contribution examines the professional trajectories of women over 50 who, following employment interruptions or prior job fail- ures, undertake lifelong learning pathways – specifically the Tirocinio Formativo Attivo, as defined in the Italian context – in order to access the teaching profession. This phenomenon reflects a social transforma- tion described by Robert Castel, wherein educational labor increas- ingly assumes the characteristics of care work. This form of labor is predominantly performed by a feminized workforce, which is often older and subject to precarious employment conditions. The study is situated within a contextual framework that considers the intersection of gender and age dynamics. Age emerges as a competitive disadvan- tage in environments where caregiving responsibilities remain un- evenly distributed between schools and families, and where organiza- tionally adverse school conditions persist. Nonetheless, many women respond to these structural barriers by adopting innovative strategies of territorial mobility, mobilizing personal resources, and reactivating prior competencies.