- 2018Implementation
- 2019Implementation
- 2020Implementation
- 2021Implementation
- 2022Implementation
- 2023Implementation
- 2024Implementation
Background
Since 2016, the Greek government has been putting in place a series of important reforms to improve the link between VET and the labour market. The new EPAL apprenticeship programme, the post-secondary year - Apprenticeship class, was initially launched by the education ministry in the school year 2016/17.
Objectives
The objective is to ensure the proper implementation of the post-secondary apprenticeship year and the reinforcement of links with the labour market.
Description
The Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) is carrying out the project Teachers and trainers training on issues related to apprenticeship. Particular attention is paid to the continuing professional development (CPD) of teaching staff who used to work in school-based programmes and are (re)allocated to the new apprenticeship programmes (mostly the EPAL post-secondary apprenticeship year, but also apprenticeships within post-secondary VET programmes of the Institute of Vocational Training (IEK)). The action is co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) under the operational programme Human resources development, education and lifelong learning 2014-20. A EUR 917 000 budget has been allocated to the CPD of upper secondary vocational (EPAL) teachers till 2020.
The focus is on developing teachers' knowledge and competences to enable further cooperation with enterprises and apprentices. Peer-learning and capturing the experience of teachers who have already piloted work-based learning in previous years is also important. The programme combines classroom and online training (39 hours in total) including thematic areas such as basic principles of adult education and modern teaching methods, counselling and vocational guidance, occupational safety and health and entrepreneurship.
Several short duration sensitisation seminars on apprenticeship were carried out in 2016 and 2017, before the first implementation of the post-secondary...
The Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) is carrying out the project Teachers and trainers training on issues related to apprenticeship. Particular attention is paid to the continuing professional development (CPD) of teaching staff who used to work in school-based programmes and are (re)allocated to the new apprenticeship programmes (mostly the EPAL post-secondary apprenticeship year, but also apprenticeships within post-secondary VET programmes of the Institute of Vocational Training (IEK)). The action is co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) under the operational programme Human resources development, education and lifelong learning 2014-20. A EUR 917 000 budget has been allocated to the CPD of upper secondary vocational (EPAL) teachers till 2020.
The focus is on developing teachers' knowledge and competences to enable further cooperation with enterprises and apprentices. Peer-learning and capturing the experience of teachers who have already piloted work-based learning in previous years is also important. The programme combines classroom and online training (39 hours in total) including thematic areas such as basic principles of adult education and modern teaching methods, counselling and vocational guidance, occupational safety and health and entrepreneurship.
Several short duration sensitisation seminars on apprenticeship were carried out in 2016 and 2017, before the first implementation of the post-secondary apprenticeship year.
In 2018, 786 staff members were trained. More than 3 000 beneficiaries took part during the whole project.
In 2019 apprenticeship teachers' CPD took place from May till October 2019.
The third series of training took place from February till May 2020.
Teacher and trainer CPD on issues related to apprenticeship continued via synchronous and asynchronous training modes from May to June 2021.
Until the end of 2022, the teacher and trainer CPD on apprenticeship, organised by the IEP, continued.
As part of the ,A new beginning at EPAL, project, a specialised training programme was implemented for teachers of all disciplines in EPAL (Vocational upper secondary schools). The programme targeted both permanent teaching staff and substitute psychologists (PE23), as well as members of the Special Educational Personnel (SEP) working in EPAL during the 2022-2023 school year.
The training covered four thematic modules aimed at strengthening teaching practices and school support systems:
- thematic module 1: focused on the implementation of alternative reinforcement teaching (co-teaching) for the subject of Modern Greek in the first grade of EPAL.
- thematic module 2): addressed the implementation of co-teaching methods for mathematics in the first grade of EPAL.
- thematic module 3: highlighted the role of the teacher advisor, with an emphasis on supporting students' integration into school life, particularly first-grade learners.
- thematic module 4: examined the role of the school psychologist and strategies for collaboration with teacher advisors to promote a supportive learning environment.
The training took place between January and March 2023. A total of 1 117 teachers applied, of whom 829 completed the programme and received certificates of completion. The initiative aimed to enhance staff capacity to address student diversity and foster inclusive, supportive and effective learning environments in EPAL schools.
In parallel, under the programme ,Training of Teachers and Trainers on Apprenticeship Issues, a total of 1 828 applications were submitted between April and June 2023, including 343 applications from SAEK (formerly IEK) trainers. Following evaluation, 1 271 applications were approved. A total of 815 participants from EPAL and SAEK successfully completed the programme and were awarded certificates.
In 2024, the Institute of Educational Policy (IEP) completed the ESF-funded projects for the training of teachers and trainers. New training projects are currently under design.
Bodies responsible
- Institute of Educational Policy (IEP)
- Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs
Target groups
Education professionals
- Teachers
- Trainers
- School leaders
Entities providing VET
- VET providers (all kinds)
Thematic categories
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.
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.
This thematic sub-category is in line with the EU policy focus on the digital transition, and refers to professional development and other measures to prepare and support teachers and trainers in teaching their learners digital skills and competences. It also covers measures and support for them to increase their own digital skills and competences, including for teaching in virtual environments, working with digital tools and applying digital pedagogies. Emergency measures taken during the COVID-19 pandemic also fall into this sub-category.
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2025). Teacher CPD focused on apprenticeship: Greece. 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/28260