1 The Labour Market in Cyprus Amathus Hotel, Limassol 23 May 2015 Alexandros Alexandrou Director, Department of Labour Ministry of Labour, Welfare and Social Insurance

2 The Cyprus Public Employment Service Established in permanent staff (including 22 trained Employment Counselors) 4 District Labour Offices and 10 Local Labour Offices around Cyprus

3 The PES Network

4 The Current Labour Market Situation (LFS) ΄

5 EMPLOYMENT RATES FOR THE POPULATION YEARS BY GENDER

6 UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR THE POPULATION 15+ BY GENDER

7 EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT OF THE POPULATION YEARS

8 Problem Identification and Interventions Large number tertiary education graduates Lack of work experience / limited links between education and the world of work Low youth entrepreneurship – Lack of motives and guidance Vocational Training is not “sexy” / Trendy Connecting vocational orientation at schools with the real world of work PES understaffing VS unprecedented high number of unemployed. Lack of foreign language learning Turn of the education system towards new occupations ΄

9 Tackling Unemployment National Action Plan for Youth Employment: Total budget of 47.0 mill Implementing period Target: Youth (priority in NEETS) Includes all the measures for the Cyprus YGIP Initial and continues training programs Work experience placements in companies in Cyprus and abroad Employment Subsidies Youth Entrepreneurship subsidies Employment Schemes Training Courses European Labour Market: EURES, Euroguidance, ERASMUS+

10 Thank you for your attention Department of Labour–