2024

The objectives of the Year of Youth 2024

The Council of Ministers, at its meeting in February 2024, decided regarding the achievement of the objectives of the year of youth 2024. The announcement of 2024 as the national year of youth aims to give visibility to youth issues, encourage the promotion of youth policies, enhance the participation of young people and their organizations in society and empower youth in general.
In the framework of the year of youth for Cyprus, new initiatives will be developed, and existing ones will be highlighted that support young people, their personal, social, economic, and professional development in a green, digital, and inclusive world. The activities will be in line with the objectives of the European Union Youth Strategy 2019-2027, as well as the priorities of the Governance Program. Its design and implementation will be based on the principles of democracy, inclusiveness, and active participation.
The main objectives of the year of youth, as decided in the council of ministers, are: 
The promotion of democratic participation and active participation of young people and their organizations in decision-making processes.
The improvement of policies that affect young people. 
The enhancement of young people's skills to facilitate their integration into society and the labor market. 
The creation of entrepreneurial initiative opportunities for young people. 
The promotion of the inclusion and equal opportunities 
The strengthening of the mental health of young people, which is very high on the priorities of the European Union.
 

2023

Abolition of tuition fees in educational programs for holders of the European Disability Card

The Council of Ministers approved on June 21st, 2023, the Proposal of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth (MECSY) for the exemption of the holders of the European Disability Card from the tuition fees in educational programs of the Ministry.
Specifically, based on the decision, the holders of the European Disability Card are exempted from paying tuition fees in the programs of State Training Institutes, Training Centers, and Lifelong Vocational Training Programs.
This decision is the result of the cooperation of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports and Youth with the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare and falls within the framework of the Ministry's efforts for the social integration of people with disabilities and for their easier access to education.

Labor supply and demand forecasts

The systematic monitoring and analysis of the long-term trends in the labor market as well as the prediction of the future situation, both for the quantitative needs and for the knowledge and skills required, are basic conditions for improving the adaptability of human resources and creating a flexible market work.
The provision of information on employment needs in sectors of economic activity and occupations as well as on the knowledge and skills needed in an increasingly competitive, complex and multicultural environment is becoming increasingly important. The transition to the green and digital economy, the increasing use of new technologies, automation and new forms of work have a significant impact on the required knowledge and skills of occupations, resulting in constantly changing labor market needs and a skills mismatch.
With the aim of addressing the problem of skill mismatch in the Cypriot labor market, in the National Reform Program of Cyprus, improving the relevance of education and training to the labor market has been set as a reform priority. The provision of valid information on the future needs of the labor market, plays a significant contribution to this effort. In this context, ANAD- HRDA (Human Resource Development Authority), utilizing its many years of experience and expertise in labor market matters, proceeded to prepare the present study.
The main purpose of the study is to provide forecasts for both the demand and the supply of labor in the Cypriot economy during the period 2022-2032. Demand forecasts are provided for 52 sectors of economic activity and 309 occupations, while supply forecasts are provided for the economy as a whole, by gender and by education level.

The  Policy and Procedures Guides for the Schemes "Single Business Training Programs in Cyprus" and "Single Business Training Programs in Cyprus (State Aid)"

The Cyprus Human Resources Development Authority (HRDA) informs all interested parties about the revision of the provisions of the Policy and Procedures Guides for the Schemes "Single Business Training Programs in Cyprus" and "Single Business Training Programs in Cyprus (State Aids)" (hereinafter "Schemes") , which come into effect for employer applications for approval of training programs submitted from 1 April 2023 onwards.
The differences in the provisions of each Plan relate to the calculation of the grant and specifically to the eligible expenditure for the hourly staff cost of trainees, which is determined as follows:
For programs classified in grant level 1: €10
For programs classified in grant level 2: €15
The evidence, in relation to the eligible expenditure of the staff costs of trainees, which needs to accompany the application for the payment of a grant are:

• Proof of payment of Social Insurance contributions for the months in which the training program was implemented.
• The "Employment" document with the details of each trainee, which can be extracted from the "Ergani" information system of the Social Insurance Services.

As a consequence, the submission of trainees' pay slips is no longer required.
 

2022

ANAD (Human Resource Development Authority) Strategic Plan for 2023-2025

ANAD (Human Resource Development Authority) is implementing a comprehensive planning and reporting process for its activities. In this context, the Strategic Plan for the three-year period 2023-2025 has been prepared, in which the objectives of the HRDA are presented, which are linked to the Activity-Based Budget. The process of strategic planning includes the determination of the organization's mission, vision, values and strategic goals, through the analysis of the external and internal environment.
The strategic goals of the HRDA for the three-year period 2023-2025 are the following:
Upgrading the human potential of Cyprus with the continuous and lifelong learning of the employees, the unemployed and the idle individuals, with emphasis on young people, older people, the low-skilled individuals and the long-term unemployed.
Improving productivity, strengthening competitiveness and developing the resilience of Cypriot businesses through improving adaptability and better utilization of their human resources.
Strengthening the assurance of the quality and effectiveness of the human resources training and development system, through the evaluation and certification of the training provided, the strengthening of the control systems and procedures, as well as the knowledge, skills and professional qualifications of the local human resources.
 

Successful completion of the Co-financed Project "Development of Standards of Professional Qualifications"

The Cyprus Human Resources Development Authority (HRDA) organized on December 13, 2022 a special event for the completion of the "Development of Professional Qualifications Standards" project.

The project is co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) of the EU and HRDA as a national participation, and aims at the continuous upgrading of the professional competence of the employees with a double effect: On the one hand, the employees satisfy the ever-increasing needs of the modern economy and on the other hand, they themselves, enjoy better pay and working conditions. Specifically, the purpose of the Professional Qualifications Standards is to upgrade human resources through the examination and certification of an individual's ability to perform effectively at a defined level of a Professional Qualification, while also providing a framework for training/development.

The 167 Standards of Professional Qualifications include among others, the sectors of Agriculture and Food, Manufacturing, Energy Supply and Waste Management, Construction, Trade and other Services, Vehicle and Appliances Repair, Tourism, Hotels and Restaurants, Education, Training and Support Activities as well as Information and Communication Technologies.

Upgrading of higher vocational education (MIEEK)

After the session of the Council of Ministers in July 2022, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth referred to the plans on upgrading of higher vocational education and the operation of the MIEEK school  (Post-Secondary Institutes of Vocational Education and Training) in new building facilities, in the effort of the government to upgrade public higher vocational education in Cyprus.
In the Ministry of Education plans for MIEΕK, new study programs will be offered to attract additional students, beyond the 16 programs and about 400 students present today.