In recent years, significant efforts have been made in Greece regarding skills development practices for unemployed as well as working citizens. A typical example is the “Going Forward” program of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
A total of 150,000 workers in all sectors of the economy will have the opportunity to upgrade their skills with the new “Go Forward” Program of the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. The implementing body of the program is the Public Employment Service (DYPA) and the funding comes from the resources of the Recovery and Resilience Fund, amounting to 154.5 million euros.
For the first time, DYPA, in collaboration with the Training and Lifelong Learning Centers (KEDiViM) of universities, international technology giants and licensed Lifelong Learning Centers (KDVM), will offer employees a large list of individual training programs with emphasis on digital and “green” skills, from which they will be able to choose, depending on their educational and professional profile.
Indicatively, the options will include from basic digital office tools, programs for social media marketing and e-shop management, to more highly specialized subjects such as data analytics, artificial intelligence applications, logistics and the adoption of digital technologies in the agricultural sector.
The aim is for employees to adapt to the requirements of modern trends in the workplace, to upgrade their prospects and consequently to contribute to the modernization of the Greek economy.
Each beneficiary will attend a theoretical training program of a total duration of 80 hours (face-to-face and distance learning).
Upon completion of the program and the success of the certification of knowledge, the trainee will receive an educational allowance amounting to 5 euros / hour of training. The beneficiaries who will complete the training are obliged to participate in the certification examinations and upon their successful examination they will receive from the certification body they have chosen “Certificate of knowledge and skills”.
The “Go Forward” program is part of the overall policy of the Government and the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs for the retraining and upgrading of skills of both unemployed and employees. Using European funds, the largest effort to train the workforce in the history of the country has been planned, with the aim that in the coming years 500,000 workers and unemployed citizens will have received a certificate of completion of a training program.
KoiSPE Diadromes, SEPAL PRO Project
*Resource: Website of the Public Employment Service, https://www.dypa.gov.gr/proghramma-pao-mprosta
