- 2016Approved/Agreed
- 2017Implementation
- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Description
The key element of the 2016 strategic framework was the design and implementation of the post-secondary apprenticeship year, which is offered by vocational upper secondary schools (EPAL). For the establishment of its regulatory basis, a demanding legislative process was needed (for example, through regulating the EPAL apprenticeship year, setting the quality framework for apprenticeships, introducing pilot apprenticeship programmes). Law 4610/2019 integrated all the amendments related to apprenticeship. At this point, the legislative framework regulating upper secondary VET and apprenticeship was considered complete.
The EPAL apprenticeship year is a wholly work-based learning programme. its education programme embodies occupation specific courses and is divided into 203 teaching hours of laboratory courses (16.87%) and about 1 000 hours (83,13%) of work-placed learning in companies.
Implementation of the new scheme is steadily scaling up. The pilot phase of the EPAL apprenticeship year was held in in 2016/17 in two specialties (electrological installations and agricultural trade). The first phase of the implementation of the EPAL apprenticeship year covered seven specialties for 1 044 apprentices in 179 schools, while in the second phase (autumn 2017 to February 2019) nine more specialties were added and 3 450 apprentices participated in 406 schools. The third phase of implementation involved 21 specialties and 3 700...
The key element of the 2016 strategic framework was the design and implementation of the post-secondary apprenticeship year, which is offered by vocational upper secondary schools (EPAL). For the establishment of its regulatory basis, a demanding legislative process was needed (for example, through regulating the EPAL apprenticeship year, setting the quality framework for apprenticeships, introducing pilot apprenticeship programmes). Law 4610/2019 integrated all the amendments related to apprenticeship. At this point, the legislative framework regulating upper secondary VET and apprenticeship was considered complete.
The EPAL apprenticeship year is a wholly work-based learning programme. its education programme embodies occupation specific courses and is divided into 203 teaching hours of laboratory courses (16.87%) and about 1 000 hours (83,13%) of work-placed learning in companies.
Implementation of the new scheme is steadily scaling up. The pilot phase of the EPAL apprenticeship year was held in in 2016/17 in two specialties (electrological installations and agricultural trade). The first phase of the implementation of the EPAL apprenticeship year covered seven specialties for 1 044 apprentices in 179 schools, while in the second phase (autumn 2017 to February 2019) nine more specialties were added and 3 450 apprentices participated in 406 schools. The third phase of implementation involved 21 specialties and 3 700 apprentices. 48% of the placements were in the private sector.
The apprentices' wage has increased (daily remuneration was raised from EUR 17 to EUR 21.50).
The National Organisation for Certification of Qualifications and Vocational Guidance (EOPPEP) designed and initiated a programme for the formal certification of VET graduates at EQF level 5. The accreditation of the graduates from the first phase took place in July 2018 with 400 graduates participating.
A National apprenticeship coordination body (ESOM) was established in February 2018. ESOM is an advisory body on apprenticeship issues. In each public employment service centre a regional apprenticeship support team was established to assist the search for training places; the support teams are composed of teachers and trainers.
The General Secretariat for Lifelong Learning and Youth has created an apprenticeship curriculum for in post-secondary vocational training programmes in vocational training institutes (IEK).
In 2015-17, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Labour cooperated with Cedefop on a joint comprehensive review of the apprenticeship system in Greece. The objective of the review was to pave the way for future reforms of the apprenticeship system in line with EU policies. The review focused on the following areas:
- governance structures;
- training content and learning outcomes in relation to the requirements for teachers and trainers;
- supporting companies;
- labour market responsiveness.
The review included in-depth interviews with all partners involved (e.g. apprentices, VET providers and companies offering apprenticeship placements) and workshops/forums to present and discuss findings. The final findings and suggestions were published in 2018. The main challenges identified were:
- the respective roles and cooperation and coordination of stakeholders;
- the responsiveness of training content to labour market needs.
Following a 2012 memorandum signed by Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Portugal and Slovakia, a memorandum of bilateral cooperation in VET (focusing on apprenticeship) was signed with Germany in early 2017.
On 17 February 2019, the second cycle of the certification of apprenticeship was conducted. In total, 1 700 graduates from the 16 specialties that operated in the 2017/18 school year and from the three pilot programmes, participated in these examinations.
Law 4763/2020 described the traineeship/apprenticeship programme for post-secondary VET students in Vocational training institutes (IEK) after the completion of the fourth semester. According to the provisions of the law a traineeship/apprenticeship may be considered completed after 120 working days. Traineeship/apprenticeship can take place in the public or private sector and the responsible administrative office is the careers office of the relevant IEK under the responsibility of the director.
For the school year 2021/22, the organisational structure for teaching and apprenticeship foreseen in the Law 4763/2020 was implemented in IEK. A Regulation for the Operation of IEK that belong to the General Secretariat for Vocational Education, Training, Lifelong Learning and Youth (GGEKDBM & N) of the Ministry of Education was published. It regulates issues of teaching and learning, staff recruitment, admission and graduation of students and the operation of the apprenticeship programme. Article 13 of the regulation provides for the potential for exemption from the apprenticeship programme for IEK students who work and have completed at least 120 internship days in a job related to their specialty. The Joint Ministerial Decision K5/97484 of 27 August 2021, introduced a paid internship for IEK students under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs.
As indicated in the 2022-24 Strategic plan for vocational education and training, Lifelong Learning and Youth and according to the Greek National implementation plan (NIP) for VET Recommendation and Osnabrück Declaration specific measures were approved for co- funding under the Partnership Agreement for the Development Framework (ESPA).
The main actions that were approved for co-funding were:
- reinforcing by 2025 apprenticeship schemes for Post-secondary year - Apprenticeship Class (the nine month apprenticeship programme for EPAL graduates) and
- reinforcing by 2025 IEK internship schemes by Vocational Training Institutes (IEK)
More specifically for the project of reinforcing apprenticeship schemes for Post-secondary year - Apprenticeship Class, a plan of apprenticeships started being applied. This included:
i. apprenticeship with on-the-job training for at least 50% of the total duration of the programme;
ii. laboratory specialty courses taking place in a school laboratory. For the workplace component the apprenticeship reimbursement is set at 95% of the minimum wage of an unskilled worker.
Regarding IEK internship schemes the paid internship introduced in 2021 continued in 2022, with the intern receiving compensation equal to the 80% of the legal wage of an unskilled worker. The Ministerial Decree 109153/K5/2022 foresees the reinforcement of internship by 2025 under two co-funding schemes, the Partnership Agreement for the Development Framework 2014-20 ESF ESP and the Partnership Agreement for the Development Framework 2021-27 ESF+ until 2029.
EPAL Apprenticeship programme
For the first time, the EPAL apprenticeship programme was implemented as an extra-curricular activity, meaning that EPAL staff were compensated for conducting the programme outside regular school hours.
Apprenticeship vacancies offered by public sector bodies and private enterprises increased by 46%, reaching 6 567 placements, compared to 4 497 in the previous academic year. Apprenticeship starts—EPAL graduates placed in available apprenticeship positions—rose by 35% to 3 897, up from 2 872 in the previous year (2022). Of these, 3 202 apprentices were under the age of 30 as of 1 January 2022.
By 31 October 2023, a total of 3 441 apprentices had successfully completed the programme. Of these, 2 061 had undertaken their apprenticeship in private enterprises and 1 380 in the public sector. According to updated data (17 November 2023), 41% of apprentices who completed their placement in the private sector were employed after the programme, while the employment rate among public sector apprentices was 22%.
Public Vocational Training Institutes (SAEK)
In 2023, under the initial vocational training programmes offered by public Vocational Training Institutes (SAEK), a total of 5 487 trainees successfully completed their mandatory internship, which is a prerequisite for the completion of their studies.
EPAL Apprenticeship programme
Academic year 2023/24 - Implementation phase
Apprenticeship opportunities continued to expand, with the number of vacancies rising by 45% compared to the previous academic year, reaching 9 550 placements. Apprenticeship starts also increased significantly. A total of 5 770 EPAL graduates were placed in apprenticeship positions, marking a 48% rise compared to the previous year (2023). Among them, 4 885 apprentices were under the age of 30 as of 1 January 2023.
By 31 October 2024, 5 219 apprentices had successfully completed the programme. Of these, 3 359 completed their apprenticeship in private enterprises, while 1 860 did so in public sector placements.
As of 11 November 2024, 32% of apprentices who completed their placement in private enterprises were employed, while the corresponding percentage for public-sector apprentices was 18%.
Academic year 2024/25 - Implementation phase
Growth in apprenticeship provision continued. Apprenticeship vacancies increased by 16%, reaching 11 103 placements, with 70% offered by private-sector employers. The number of apprenticeship' starts rose by 20%, totalling 6 955 EPAL graduates placed in apprenticeship positions. Of these, 5 987 were under 30 years old as of 1 January 2025.
The programme is being implemented smoothly during the current academic year, with no major issues reported.
The most popular specialisations in the public sector for the 2024/25 school year are:
- nursing assistant
- administrative and financial services officer
- nursery assistant
- vehicle technician
- electrical systems, facilities and networks technician
Public Vocational Training Institutes (SAEK) - 2024
In the context of initial vocational training, public vocational training institutes (SAEK) continued to apply mandatory internship schemes. During the reporting period, 6 564 trainees successfully completed their internship, which is a requirement for the completion of their studies.
Bodies responsible
- Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
- Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs
- General Secretariat for VET, Lifelong Learning and Youth
- Public Employment Service (DYPA)
- Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) (until 2022)
Target groups
Learners
- Learners in upper secondary, including apprentices
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Adult learners
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
- School leaders
- Guidance practitioners
Entities providing VET
- Companies
- Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
- VET providers (all kinds)
Other stakeholders
- Social partners (employer organisations and trade unions)
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 integration of VET into economic, industrial, innovation, social and employment strategies, including those linked to recovery, green and digital transitions, and where VET is seen as a driver for innovation and growth. It includes national, regional, sectoral strategic documents or initiatives that make VET an integral part of broader policies, or applying a mix of policies to address an issue VET is part of, e.g. in addressing youth unemployment measures through VET, social and active labour market policies that are implemented in combination. National skill strategies aiming at quality and inclusive lifelong learning also fall 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.
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 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.
Transparency and portability of VET skills and qualifications
European principles and tools, such as EQF, ESCO, ECTS, Europass and ECVET, provide a strong basis for transparency and portability of national and sectoral qualifications across Europe, including the issuing of digital diplomas and certificates.
This thematic category looks at how individuals are supported in transferring, accumulating, and validating skills and competences acquired in formal, non-formal and informal settings – including learning on the job – and in having their learning recognised towards a qualification at any point of their lives. This is only possible if qualifications are transparent and comparable and are part of comprehensive national qualifications frameworks. Availability of qualifications smaller than full and acquirable in shorter periods of time is necessary; some countries have recently worked on developing partial qualifications, microcredentials, etc.
This thematic sub-category refers to the application of EU transparency tools that allow recognition of qualifications among EU Member States (EQF, Europass, ESCO, ECTS). Among others, it includes linking national VET platforms and databases to Europass in accordance with the Europass Decision and EQF Recommendation and the use of the ECVET principles and tools, such as memoranda of understanding or learning agreements applied in mobility actions. The sub-category also covers measures on recognition of foreign/third-country qualifications for specific target groups, e.g. migrants or highly skilled professionals.
This thematic sub-category concerns all developments related to national qualification frameworks (NQFs). As in most countries NQFs are in place and referenced to the European qualifications framework (EQF), the thematic sub-category covers updating and expanding the frameworks, developing new qualifications and using NQFs as catalysts for other reforms.
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
Osnabrück Declaration
- Resilience and excellence through quality, inclusive and flexible VET
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Developing apprenticeship: Greece. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2024 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/hr/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/28249