The Troodos Network, a non-profit organisation promoting development in the region of Troodos mountains in Cyprus, in cooperation with Mesoyios Education Group, have established an innovative education centre, focusing on teaching, research and contribution to society.

The Troodos Hospitality Academy will be offering training programmes for the hospitality sector in response to rural labour shortages, and as a measure against rural depopulation (particularly of young people) as prospective learners  will have a chance to study for free, gain work experience and secure a job on completion of their studies.

Learners will be trained as waiters, bartenders, hotel housekeepers, receptionists, assistant cooks, and assistant pastry chefs. The programmes are open to Cypriots and other European Union nationals, Greek-speaking (as the teaching language is Greek), citizens over 16 years of age, but priority will be given to those residing in the Troodos region.

Hotels and restaurants will provide scholarships to learners, covering tuition costs, monthly allowance, accommodation, subsistence cost and medical coverage contributions, and will pay their salary during their internship.

The programmes have a hybrid format and comprise learning in classrooms and practical training at the enterprise which is sponsoring a scholarship. The duration of the programmes is 1 year, divided into:

  • two periods of 4 months, one in spring and one in autumn;
  • a summer period, in which the practical training at the enterprise will take place under the supervision of teachers of the academy.

The first courses for waiters/bartenders and assistant cooks/pastry chefs will commence in March 2022, and by February 2023 the first graduates are expected to obtain their diploma. At the end of the course, students may certify their vocational qualifications through the system of vocational qualifications (SVQ) of the Human Resource Development Authority of Cyprus (HRDA).

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About Troodos network

To find out more about the Troodos Hospitality Academy and the training programmes contact:  papplatres@cytanet.com.cy

 

Please cite this news item as: ReferNet Cyprus; Cedefop (2022). Cyprus: VET programmes combat hospitality sector labour shortages and rural depopulation. National news on VET.