Reference year 2026
Version 2026
Drafted by Nikos Papaevripidis, VET inspector/apprenticeship coordinator, Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth, Cyprus - Member of Cedefop Community of apprenticeship experts
The legal basis for apprenticeships goes back to 1966, governed by Law 13/1966 on Apprentices.
The 1966 Law (see above) is still the valid legal basis for apprenticeships in Cyprus. However, it is within the plans of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sport and Youth to develop a new legal framework to reflect recent reforms related to the Apprenticeship Scheme.
Apprenticeship is understood as a school-based dual system leading to formal qualifications (NQF/EQF 3), with alternating periods in school (2 days) and at the workplace (3 days) per week.
The New Modern Apprenticeship scheme (introduced in 2012 as a reform of the longstanding apprenticeship scheme) includes:
• Preparatory Apprenticeship 1-2 years – at lower secondary level
• Core Apprenticeship 3 years – at upper secondary level
Preparatory apprenticeship is an optional school-based interim step for young people who have not completed secondary education through other school-based schemes and the actual apprenticeship offer at the core apprenticeship spell.
The scheme fiche focuses on the Core apprenticeship.
Cedefop’s VET in Europe database provides additional information on the national VET system and the position of apprenticeships within it: https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/vet-in-europe/systems/cyprus-u3
The Apprenticeship Scheme has a long history since it was introduced in 1966.
In 2012, it was reformed and renamed into New Modern Apprenticeship by the Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance.
See more in Cedefop’s Thematic country review of apprenticeships in Cyprus.