Italian worker Piero Canarini earns high school diploma at 57

Piero Canarini, a 57‑year‑old former shoemaker and long‑time geometer for the construction firm Mattei, completed an online high‑school programme and sat the national diploma exams alongside 18‑year‑olds. He scored 72 out of 100 and was formally declared mature at the Tonino Guerra Institute in Novafeltria, where his wife, children and colleagues applauded.

The story is cited as part of a growing trend of older Italians returning to study, highlighted by examples such as singer Pupo, who at 70 also obtained his diploma. Commentators note the physical and psychological challenges adult learners face, from lengthy study hours to the pressure of sitting beside younger classmates, but stress that such achievements underscore the belief that learning has no age limit.