“New generation” training and upgrading programmes for unemployed persons in digital skills

The Greek Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and the Greek Public Employment Service (DYPA) are implementing a 'New Generation' training and upskilling programme to train 40.000 unemployed people, over the age of 18, in digital skills.

Taking into account that in 2024 only 52.4% of Greeks, aged 16-74, have (at least) a basic level of digital skills, this initiative invests in digital knowledge by training unemployed people in line with the needs of the Greek economy. Furthermore, it aims to update the unemployed persons' knowledge and skills in Information and communication technologies (ICT), in order to achieve their reintegration into the labour market and enhance their employability.

Which training courses are provided?

The training courses are the following:

• Increasing the company’s productivity by using Microsoft 365 & SharePoint, Teams and Power Platform tools
• Microsoft Azure Cloud Artificial Intelligence AI Fundamentals
• Business Intelligence and Data Visualisation
• New technological skills in the Economy and Administration: “Data science with R”
• Modern computing environments and Python/Matlab applications
• Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in Theory and Operation using Open Software
• It & Cyber Security: “Threat management and security policies”
• Web Design: “From Planning to Visitability Processing”

The budget of this initiative is estimated at EUR 100 million and is financially supported by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan “Greece 2.0” funded by NextGenerationEU.

The selection of beneficiaries/trainees has been completed.

Life cycle of the courses:

1. The training providers are training and lifelong learning centres from private sector and universities. They are selected by DYPA on the basis of strict qualitative and quantitative criteria regarding their technical and financial capacity and are registered in the Register of Training Providers.
2. All individuals, over the age of 18, applied for these courses through a platform from 27 July to 4 September 2022. Registration in the DYPA Unemployed Register and a compulsory secondary school diploma were defined as the basic prerequisites to participate in this call for applications.
3. The unemployed who would receive the final training were registered in the Register of Beneficiaries kept by the Directorate of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food. The selection of the unemployed (beneficiaries) was made in order of priority for application until all the vacancies offered were filled.
4. The beneficiaries will now participate in the training course at no cost. The duration of the course will not exceed 200 hours, combining face-to-face and distance learning (distance learning). The training must be completed within three months from the start date.
5. Upon completion of the training, beneficiaries will be able to participate in knowledge and skills certification examinations conducted by leading international technology companies..

Once this certification has been obtained, the trainee is entitled to a training allowance of EUR 5 per hour of training (e.g. for a 200-hours course, they will receive an allowance of EUR 1 000).