In a virtual internship the role of the virtual Tutor plays a fundamental role because it guarantees the "virtual" presence as a real didactic/organisational manager of the traineeship activities, even though it does not directly and personally support the trainee. The virtual Tutor in fact answers the questions and doubts of the trainee and the company whenever there is a need, both by e-mail and by telephone, offering technical assistance on the activities agreed during the traineeship. The virtual tutor is a facilitator of the path to reach educational and professional goals.

The virtual tutor has a fundamental role for the real success of the internship in terms of educational values, and his/her choice has a very relevant impact in the quality of the internship since it is up to him/her to give concreteness to the potentialities of the company as an educational environment, ensuring the most effective implementation of all necessary coordination activities.

The Virtual tutor must therefore possess adequate professional skills consistent with the training project, IT skills with the aim of ensuring the achievement of the objectives of the training project.

The ideal characteristics of a good tutor are therefore:

• Communication and specific skills: the good relationship between the intern and the virtual tutor is the basis for success; work-based learning takes place essentially through identification with a "teacher" who is motivated by the desire to pass on his competence to others, capable of helping the intern to overcome difficulties and valorise their competences;

• Educational skills: the challenge of the role of a tutor concerns the ability to interpret and transpose the objectives of the specific project into tasks, gradually increasingly complex, taking into account the characteristics and attitudes of the intern;

• Professional experience: the tutor’s wealth of work experience is fundamental in the function of "guide" while carrying it out towards the trainee;

• Availability: the virtual tutor’s task cannot be assigned "ex officio"; in fact, it is not a mere bureaucratic fulfillment, but a delicate and profound process of welcoming and accompanying a learning experience in the workplace;

• Constancy: the presence of the virtual tutor is fundamental in the internship in order to accompany the trainee who has been entrusted, from the beginning to the end, helping him to overcome difficulties and enhancing their successes.