- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Background
There is a mismatch between supply of, and demand for, professionals in technical professions in Cyprus. Consequently, the need arises for evidence-based policy- making regarding investments in increasing the numbers of enrolled students in secondary technical and vocational education and training.
Objectives
The objectives are the following:
- to improve the relevance of technical and vocational education and training (VET) to the needs of the labour market;
- to facilitate the transition from education to work;
- to increase the attractiveness of STVET;
- to modernise school facilities and provide a test bed for the development of state-of-the art programmes and promote closer links with the industry;
- to improve the quality of VET by developing skills forecasting mechanisms, by updating curricula, and by further developing the apprenticeship system and work-based learning.
Description
In 2014, the Department of Secondary Technical and Vocational Education and Training (STVET) started implementing the project Further development of technical and vocational education and training (under programming period 2014-20). The project continues with increased ESF+ funding (under the programming period 2021-27). The project covers all VET pathways falling under the authority of the Department of STVET: secondary technical and vocational education, evening schools of technical and vocational education, the apprenticeship system, lifelong learning programmes of VET, and public schools of higher vocational education and training (MIEEK). The project's indicative activities include the development and introduction of new study programmes, the purchase of technical equipment, the organisation of promotional campaigns, the provision of high-quality professional training for VET teachers, the development of a national VET graduate tracking system, and the construction of new technical schools.
The project consists of the following actions:
- assessing labour market demand in the relative fields of study by introducing new fields of study and specialisations in secondary VET and higher VET, in accordance with the 2015-20 strategic plan for VET. For example, in 2017, with the accreditation/upgrading of the post-secondary institutes of vocational education and training (MIEEK) to public schools of higher VET, new...
In 2014, the Department of Secondary Technical and Vocational Education and Training (STVET) started implementing the project Further development of technical and vocational education and training (under programming period 2014-20). The project continues with increased ESF+ funding (under the programming period 2021-27). The project covers all VET pathways falling under the authority of the Department of STVET: secondary technical and vocational education, evening schools of technical and vocational education, the apprenticeship system, lifelong learning programmes of VET, and public schools of higher vocational education and training (MIEEK). The project's indicative activities include the development and introduction of new study programmes, the purchase of technical equipment, the organisation of promotional campaigns, the provision of high-quality professional training for VET teachers, the development of a national VET graduate tracking system, and the construction of new technical schools.
The project consists of the following actions:
- assessing labour market demand in the relative fields of study by introducing new fields of study and specialisations in secondary VET and higher VET, in accordance with the 2015-20 strategic plan for VET. For example, in 2017, with the accreditation/upgrading of the post-secondary institutes of vocational education and training (MIEEK) to public schools of higher VET, new specialisations were developed;
- integrating key competences into curricula: Following the suggestions from the 2015-20 strategic plan, curricula that include foreign languages, entrepreneurial skills, maths, science/technology, digital skills, and learning to learn competences along with career management skills, numeracy and literacy were approved in 2015 and have been implemented since the 2016/17 academic year. To promote cultural expression, music became a compulsory subject in the first year of studies in secondary VET and optional in the second and third year. The Russian language has been introduced as an optional subject in hotel and catering study programmes since the 2016/17 academic year;
- informing pupils, students and trainees, annually, on matters of professional development and the benefits of completing programmes/pathways in the VET system;
- systematic training of instructors, on an annual basis, on technological developments and training on new industrial methods and procedures, with the aim of improving the quality of teaching and their educational abilities, in collaboration with the Cyprus Pedagogical Institute;
- providing practical training in companies for MIEEK students and apprentices;
- improving practical in-company training of MIEEK students and apprentices, for specialisations/qualifications for which it is necessary to have specialised hands-on (work-based) by performing constant inspections;
- ensuring access to modern technical equipment, training materials and infrastructure through training in companies with the appropriate infrastructure (facilities, equipment, etc);
- organisation of a modern training model in industry by incentivising reputable industrial units which excel in their sector and contribute to the Cypriot economy to provide knowledge, skills and abilities/competences to technical and vocational school students;
- developing learning-outcome-based VET curricula adapted to meet the needs of the labour market;
- expanding and making more flexible technical and vocational evening schools, which operate as second chance schools.
In 2021, in the context of the project the following took place.
- Writing of textbooks and student exercise books by VET teachers. 14 books were written for the following fields of study: Hotel and catering professions, Applied arts and mechanical engineering. Academics (scientific collaborators) provided consulting services to the writing teams of the school textbooks, as well as overview and evaluation of the deliverables (parts or the whole of school textbooks), recommendations to the writing teams and cooperation with the responsible inspectors of the Department of STVET.
- Development of curricula from scratch for the developed for the first time STVET specialisations of Ship mechanics, Seamen and Cosmetology.
- Evaluation of the timetable and curricula of all the specialisations of the Mechanical engineering field of study.
- Updating of the curricula of all the other specialisations (not mentioned above) by VET teachers specially appointed for this purpose.
- Upgrading of the workshops for the specialisation Design of furniture and wooden constructions.
- Upgrading of software used for subjects of the Mechanical engineering field of study.
- Purchase of drones, computers and robotic arms for the needs of various VET specialisations.
- Purchase of equipment for upgrading the dairy laboratory.
- Publicity and promotion campaigns using the services of a contractor (purchase of services; this contract has been renewed annually since 2018).
- Creation of registers of instructors (valid until 2023) to teach, through the procedure of purchasing services, at various VET pathways, such as the public schools of higher VET (MIEEK), the lifelong learning programmes of VET, the apprenticeship system and the Cosmetology-hairdressing field of study, and the Maritime professions field of study. The instructors included in the registers come from the industry sector and have knowledge in specific educational subjects.
- Purchase of services from a designer in order to upgrade and design high technology workshops.
In line with the implementation of the project Further development of technical and vocational education and training for the period 2021-27,setting up two new VET schools was implemented under the authority of the Department of Technical Services of the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth (MESY), in cooperation with the Department of Secondary Technical and Vocational Education and Training. The Department of Technical Services has great experience in architectural, structural, electrical and mechanical studies, the implementation and supervision of construction projects and material control, upgrading of school building structures, surveys and various construction projects. This development is part of Cyprus' Recovery and Resilience Plan and the Cohesion Policy Programme THALIA 2021-2027. Funding is secured to construct two new Technical and Vocational Schools of Education and Training, one in Limassol (in replacement of the A' Technical and Vocational School of Education and Training in Limassol) and one in Larnaca (in replacement of the Ayios Lazaros Technical and Vocational School of Education and Training). The replacement of the two Technical Schools is essential because, these schools could not adequately serve their educational purpose anymore and they were offering minimum flexibility in designing and offering new programmes of study. The two new Technical Schools will serve a large number of enrolled students and adult learners, featuring teaching rooms, labs, multi-purpose halls, sports facilities, staff and management rooms.
In 2022, in the context of the project, the following took place.
- Continuation of publicity and promotion campaigns using the services of a contractor (purchase of services).
- Continuation of writing school textbooks and students' exercise books. 17 books were written for the following fields of study: Architecture and civil engineering, Hotel and catering profession, Mechanical engineering and Electrical engineering.
- Continuation of updating of the curricula of specialisations by specially appointed VET teachers.
- The education ministry signed 1-year contracts with various instructors from the industry sector with knowledge in specific educational subjects, who were included in the various registers.
- Continuation of the design of high technology workshops.
- Purchase of librarian services at technical and vocational schools of education and training.
- Continuation of workshop upgrades and equipment supply (robots, robotic arms, computers, interactive screens).
- Supply of books for MIEEK.
A contractor for the external evaluation of MIEEK was selected through a call for tenders. The last evaluation improved the quality of learning provision, thus enabling further development.
Preparatory actions for the designing of the two new VET schools in Limassol and Larnaka started.
- Continuation of writing school textbooks and students' exercise books. 30 books were written for the following fields of study: architecture and civil engineering, hotel and catering professions, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering.
- Continuation of updating the curricula of specialisations by specially appointed VET teachers.
- The education ministry signed 1-year contracts with various instructors from the industry sector with knowledge in specific educational subjects, who were included in the various registers.
- Continuation of the design of high technology workshops.
- Purchase of librarian services at technical and vocational schools of education and training.
- Continuation of workshop upgrades and equipment supply.
- Supply of books for the Public School of Higher VET-MIEEKs and fields of study of the Department of Secondary Technical and Vocational Education and Training.
- Development of educational materials for the expansion of the active laboratory system in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Electronic Applications.
- Purchase of services for the digitization of educational content.
- Implementation of public procurement procedures for tenders related to the construction of a new VET school focused on green professions.
- Systematic training of VET instructors on technological developments and new industrial methods and procedures, with the aim of improving the quality of teaching.
- Practical training for the Public School of Higher VET-MIEEK students, as well as in-company training for the apprentices of the apprenticeship system, in order to acquire qualifications for which it is necessary to have specialised hands-on experiences.
The construction of the new VET school in Limassol, included in the Cyprus recovery and resilience plane (RRP), began on 1 March 2023, and an amount of more than EUR 4 million was already spent. Regarding the second new VET school in Larnaca, the project was included in the Cohesion Policy Programme THALIA 2021-27, focusing on green professions. The deadline for tender submissions was on 27 October 2023, and the bid expiration date was on 26 April 2024.
In 2024, in the context of the project, the following actions were implemented:
- continuation of workshop upgrades and equipment supply;
- continuation of publicity and promotion campaigns, using the services of a contractor (purchase of services).
The contractor for the external evaluation of MIEEK in the context of the implementation of the contract, delivered the final report on the results of the aforementioned evaluation. The results of the final report were presented publicly, and actions have already been planned for their further utilisation. The last evaluation improved the quality of learning provision, thus enabling further development of the Public School of Higher VET (MIEEK).
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth (MESY)
- Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth (MoECSY) (until 2022)
- Ministry of Education and Culture (MoEC) (until 2019)
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Adult learners
Entities providing VET
- Companies
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
Governance of VET and lifelong learning
This thematic category looks at existing legal frameworks providing for strategic, operational – including quality assurance – and financing arrangements for VET and lifelong learning (LLL). It examines how VET and LLL-related policies are placed in broad national socioeconomic contexts and coordinate with other strategies and policies, such as economic, social and employment, growth and innovation, recovery and resilience.
This thematic category covers partnerships and collaboration networks of VET stakeholders – especially the social partners – to shape and implement VET in a country, including looking at how their roles and responsibilities for VET at national, regional and local levels are shared and distributed, ensuring an appropriate degree of autonomy for VET providers to adapt their offer.
The thematic category also includes efforts to create national, regional and sectoral skills intelligence systems (skills anticipation and graduate tracking) and using skills intelligence for making decisions about VET and LLL on quality, inclusiveness and flexibility.
This thematic sub-category refers to the ways VET is funded at the system level. Policies include optimisation of VET provider funding that allows them to adapt their offer to changing skill needs, green and digital transitions, the social agenda and economic cycles, e.g. increasing the funding for VET or for specific programmes. They can also concern changing the mechanism of how the funding is allocated to VET schools (per capita vs based on achievement or other criteria). Using EU funds and financial instruments for development of VET and skills also falls into this sub-category.
This thematic sub-category refers both to formal mechanisms of stakeholder engagement in VET governance and to informal cooperation among stakeholders, which motivate shared responsibility for quality VET. Formal engagement is usually based on legally established institutional procedures that clearly define the role and responsibilities for relevant stakeholders in designing, implementing and improving VET. It also refers to establishing and increasing the degree of autonomy of VET providers for agile and flexible VET provision.
In terms of informal cooperation, the sub-category covers targeted actions by different stakeholders to promote or implement VET. This cooperation often leads to creating sustainable partnerships and making commitments for targeted actions, in line with the national context and regulation, e.g. national alliances for apprenticeships, pacts for youth or partnerships between schools and employers. It can also include initiatives and projects run by the social partners or sectoral organisations or networks of voluntary experts and executives, retired or on sabbatical, to support their peers in the fields of VET and apprenticeships, as part of the EAfA.
High-quality and timely skills intelligence is a powerful policy tool, helping improve economic competitiveness and fostering social progress and equality through the provision of targeted skills training to all citizens (Cedefop, 2020). Skills intelligence is the outcome of an expert-driven process of identifying, analysing, synthesising and presenting quantitative and/or qualitative skills and labour market information. Skills intelligence draws on data from multiple sources, such as graduate tracking systems, skills anticipation mechanisms, including at sectoral and regional levels. Actions related to establishing and developing such systems fall under this thematic sub-category.
Modernising VET infrastructure
This thematic category looks at how VET schools and companies providing VET are supported to update and upgrade their physical infrastructure for teaching and learning, including digital and green technologies, so that learners in all VET programmes and specialities have access to state-of-the-art equipment and are able to acquire relevant and up-to-date vocational and technical skills and competences. Modernising infrastructure in remote and rural areas increases the inclusiveness of VET and LLL.
This thematic sub-category refers to measures for modernising physical infrastructure, equipment and technology needed to acquire vocational skills in VET schools and institutions that provide CVET or adult learning, including VET school workshops and labs.
Modernising VET offer and delivery
This thematic category looks at what and how individuals learn, how learning content and learning outcomes in initial and continuing VET are defined, adapted and updated. First and foremost, it examines how VET standards, curricula, programmes and training courses are updated and modernised or new ones created. Updated and renewed VET content ensures that learners acquire a balanced mix of competences that address modern demands, and are more closely aligned with the realities of the labour market, including key competences, digital competences and skills for green transition and sustainability, both sector-specific and across sectors. Using learning outcomes as a basis is important to facilitate this modernisation, including modularisation of VET programmes. Updating and developing teaching and learning materials to support the above is also part of the category.
The thematic category continues to focus on strengthening high-quality and inclusive apprenticeships and work-based learning in real-life work environments and in line with the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships. It looks at expanding apprenticeship to continuing vocational training and at developing VET programmes at EQF levels 5-8 for better permeability and lifelong learning and to support the need for higher vocational skills.
This thematic category also focuses on VET delivery through a mix of open, digital and participative learning environments, including workplaces conducive to learning, which are flexible, more adaptable to the ways individuals learn, and provide more access and outreach to various groups of learners, diversifying modes of learning and exploiting the potential of digital learning solutions and blended learning to complement face-to-face learning.
Centres of vocational excellence that connect VET to innovation and skill ecosystems and facilitate stronger cooperation with business and research also fall into this category.
VET standards and curricula define the content and outcomes of learning, most often at national or sectoral levels. VET programmes are based on standards and curricula and refer to specific vocations/occupations. They all need to be regularly reviewed, updated and aligned with the needs of the labour market and society. They need to include a balanced mix of vocational and technical skills corresponding to economic cycles, evolving jobs and working methods, and key competences, providing for resilience, lifelong learning, employability, social inclusion, active citizenship, sustainable awareness and personal development (Council of the European Union, 2020). The thematic sub-category also refers to establishing new VET programmes, reducing their number or discontinuing some. It also includes design of CVET programmes and training courses to adapt to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and re-skilling needs.
This thematic sub-category focuses on developing and updating all kinds of learning resources and materials, both for learners and for teachers and trainers (e.g. teachers handbooks or manuals), to embrace current and evolving content and modes of learning. These activities target all kinds of formats: hard copy and digital publications, learning websites and platforms, tools for learner self-assessment of progress, ICT-based simulators, virtual and augmented reality, etc.
This thematic sub-category refers to acquisition of key competences and basic skills for all, from an early age and throughout their life, including those acquired as part of qualifications and curricula. Key competences include knowledge, skills and attitudes needed by all for personal fulfilment and development, employability and lifelong learning, social inclusion, active citizenship and sustainable awareness. Key competences include literacy; multilingual; science, technology, engineering and mathematical (STEM); digital; personal, social and learning to learn; active citizenship, entrepreneurship, cultural awareness and expression (Council of the European Union, 2018).
This thematic sub-category covers all developments related to work-based learning (WBL) elements in VET programmes and apprenticeships which continue to be important in the policy agenda. It includes measures to stabilise the offer of apprenticeships, the implementation of the European framework for quality and effective apprenticeships, and using the EU on-demand support services and policy learning initiatives among the Member States. It also covers further expansion of apprenticeships and WBL to continuing VET (CVET), for transition to work and inclusion of vulnerable groups, and for improving citizens’ qualification levels.
Teachers, trainers and school leaders competences
Competent and motivated VET teachers in schools and trainers in companies are crucial to VET becoming innovative and relevant, agile, resilient, flexible, inclusive and lifelong.
This thematic category comprises policies and practices of initial training and continuing professional development approaches in a systemic and systematic manner. It also looks at measures aiming to update (entry) requirements and make teaching and training careers attractive and bring more young and talented individuals and business professionals into teaching and training. Supporting VET educators by equipping them with adequate competences, skills and tools for the green transition and digital teaching and learning are addressed in separate thematic sub-categories.
The measures in this category target teachers and school leaders, company trainers and mentors, adult educators and guidance practitioners.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of initial and continuing professional development (CPD) for VET educators who work in vocational schools and in companies providing VET. VET educators include teachers and school leaders, trainers and company managers involved in VET, as well as adult educators and guidance practitioners – those who work in school- and work-based settings. The thematic sub-category includes national strategies, training programmes or individual courses to address the learning needs of VET educators and to develop their vocational (technical) skills, and pedagogical (teaching) skills and competences. Such programmes concern state-of-the-art vocational pedagogy, innovative teaching methods, and competences needed to address evolving teaching environments, e.g. teaching in multicultural settings, working with learners at risk of early leaving, etc.
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to all kinds of incentives that encourage learners to take part in VET and lifelong learning; VET providers to improve, broaden and update their offer; companies to provide places for apprenticeship and work-based learning, and to stimulate and support learning of their employees. It also includes measures addressing specific challenges of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) willing to create work-based learning opportunities in different sectors. Incentives can be financial (e.g. grants, allowances, tax incentives, levy/grant mechanisms, vouchers, training credits, individual learning accounts) and non-financial (e.g. information/advice on funding opportunities, technical support, mentoring).
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
- VET as a driver for innovation and growth preparing for digital and green transitions and occupations in high demand
- VET as an attractive choice based on modern and digitalised provision of training and skills
Osnabrück Declaration
- Resilience and excellence through quality, inclusive and flexible VET
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Further development of technical and vocational education and training: Cyprus. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/44638