1. Education and Training
Monitor 2016
CYPRUS

2. Position of Cyprus in the EU-28

3. Main Findings Cyprus has considerably improved its performance:
for early school leaving
it has maintained a very high rate of tertiary educational attainment
participation in early-childhood education and care is on the rise

4. Early School Leaving in Cyprus

5. and in the EU-28

6. Tertiary attainment in Cyprus

7. and in the EU

8. Early-childhood education and care

9. and in the EU

10. Main findings (continued)
Cyprus has also initiated a strategic reform of the vocational education and training sector, both at upper-secondary and post-secondary levels. This effort aims to achieve a better balance between that sector and mostly private higher education, which strongly predominates at present.

11. Even more findings…
But there are still major challenges for the country:
the persistence of relatively low levels of basic skills and
the continued lack of efficiency of public spending in the education system

12. Levels of Basic Skills (PISA 2012)

13. Share of education in public expenditure in Cyprus (2008-14)

14. …and more… the employability of graduates is still an issue
adult learning is not widespread
participation in VET remains limited (slides to be added by DG EMPL)

15. Employment of recent graduates (2007-15)

16. Adult learning by education level

17. And now finally …
Ευχαριστώ πολύ !

18. The New Skills Agenda for Europe adopted 10 June 2016, focus on employability & competitiveness
I. IMPROVING THE QUALITY AND RELEVANCE OF SKILLS FORMATION
Proposal for a Skills Guarantee
Proposal for the review of the Key Competences
Proposals on making VET a first choice (e.g. revision of EQAVET and ECVET)
Digital Skills and Jobs Coalition
II. MAKING SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS MORE VISIBLE AND COMPARABLE
Proposal for the revision of the EQF
Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals
III. IMPROVING SKILLS INTELLIGENCE AND INFORMATION
Proposal for the revision of the Europass Framework
Blueprint for Sectorial Cooperation on Skills
Analysis and sharing of best practice on brain drain
Proposal on Graduate Tracking

19. Assessment Anticipation
Skills Governance balancing skills supply & demand to provide a sound skills basis for economic development
Assessment Anticipation
Transmission
Use
Clear institutional mechanisms
Targeting different audiences
Involvement of stakeholders
Shaping education & training offer
Effective statistical infrastructure
User-friendly information
Career guidance
(Non)-financial incentives
ALMP

20. European Qualifications Framework translation grid for qualifications across the EU and beyond
Based on the EQF Council Recommendation of 2008
Monitored by the EQF Advisory Group
8-level meta framework
covering all types and levels of qualifications
defined in terms of learning outcomes
23 MS have already referenced their national frameworks to the EQF
3 MS (CY, RO, SK) are in the process of referencing
2 MS (FI, ES) are planning to initiate referencing in 2016
15 MS are putting the EQF levels on certificates and diplomas

21. Employment and GDP - annual growth - Cyprus

22. Employment of recent graduates (2007-15)
The skills mismatch is a challenge for Cyprus as employment rates vary strongly in line with the level of education. For lower qualifications (ISCED 0-2 level) the employment rate was 55.5 % in 2015, only slightly above the EU-28 average. For medium qualifications (ISCED 3-4) the rate was 69.6 % in 2015, this time slightly below the EU average. For higher qualifications (ISCED 5-8) it stood at 80.2 % in 2015, but below the EU-28 average (see graph). As regards systematic employment forecasting and the identification of skills gaps, the Human Resource Development Authority (HRDA) provides 10-year employment forecasts on a regular basis (latest ).
Analysis also was made on
the Country report Cyprus 2016.

23. Long-term unemployment rate by educational attainment - Cyprus

24. VET participation in EU-28 (2014)
The participation in vocational education and training (VET) in Cyprus was modest in 2014; at 14 %, it is slightly higher than a year earlier, but 35 pps. below the EU average.

25. CYPRUS VET Strategy 2016-2018 The long-term policy goals are:
• developing, training and increasing the professionalisation of educational staff;
• modernising the administrative structures of the educational system and of schools;
• enhancing the quality of education by upgrading educational content, introducing evaluation and increasing effectiveness;
• providing support to every pupil, while also acknowledging diversity; and
• improving the transition to tertiary education.
Measures in this respect include enhancement of the cooperation between Secondary Technical and Vocational Education (STVE) and businesses through social partners' dialogues, promotion of practical training (industrial placement) of STVE pupils in industry, and increasing the percentage of time STVE pupils spend in industry for their practical training, introduced as of the school year The new Apprenticeship Scheme provides preparatory and core measures and develops about forty specialisations, on the basis of the apprentices’ demand, labour market needs and the readiness of organised employers to cooperate with the Ministry of Education.

26. ESF Funding Possibilities
Priority axis 4. Development of skills of human resources
Priority axis 2. Increase employment of young persons up to 29 years old and facilitate their entry in the labour market
Priority axis 1. Improving employment prospects of the workforce -
The integration of unemployed persons into the labour market by means of assisted employment, including vocational training.
Table 1: Financial allocation by priority axis and Fund
Priority axis
Fund
Union support
National counterpart
Total funding
1:Improving employment prospects of the workforce
ESF
2: Increase the employment of young people up to 29 years of age and facilitation of entry in the labour market
YEI
3: Fighting poverty and social exclusion
4: Development of skills of the workforce and improvement of public administration efficiency
5: Technical assistance Implementation of ESF
Total ESF
Total YEI
TOTAL for PROGRAMME
Priority Axes
The use of resources allocated to Cyprus through the ESF and the YEI will be promoted through the following five Priority axes:
Priority axis 1. Improving employment prospects of the workforce
Priority axis 1 aims at increasing the impact and effectiveness of cohesion policy and in particular employment policy for tackling the impact of the economic downturn, which has given rise to significant problems in the socio-economic fabric of the country. Significant effects of the crisis are recorded in matters related to the labour market, causing a drop in employment and increase in the number of unemployed, and especially for vulnerable groups, including the long-term unemployed, that are faced with an increasing risk of social exclusion and poverty.
This requires the implementation of active employment policy measures and targeted measures promoting employment and creating new jobs, as well as modernising and supporting the public employment service (PES) to meet the requirements and (re)integration of the unemployed into the labour market.
The objectives of axis will be achieved through two specific objectives:
Increase the number of unemployed who are served in the employment offices as a result of improved capacity of bodies responsible for employment.
The budget of the axis is approximately 31 % of the total amount of Community assistance under the programme.
The axis is a direct contribution to achieving the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, and in particular to the national target in the national reform programme for employment, raising the employment rate to 75-77 % by 2020.
Priority axis 2. Increase employment of young persons up to 29 years old and facilitate their entry in the labour market
Priority Axis 2 aims to address rising unemployment of young people and in particular those not in employment, education or training, and their sustainable integration in the labour market. The results will be achieved through a combination of initiatives that are promoted through the European Social Fund and by harnessing the resources of the Youth Employment Initiative (YEI). In the context of the axis will be implemented actions set out in the National Action Plan for Youth Employment, which includes, inter alia, actions for the implementation of a Youth Guarantee, with particular emphasis on young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs).
The objectives of the axis will be achieved through two specific objectives:
Integration of young people aged who are not in employment, education or training, into the labour market through placement in subsidised jobs and work experience.
Integration of young people aged who are not in employment, education or training, into the labour market through placement in subsidised jobs and work experience.
The budget of the axis is approximately 27 % of the total amount of Community assistance under the programme. The financial support will be targeted through frontloaded actions because of the Youth Employment Initiative.
The axis contributes directly to the achievement of the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, in particular in the national reform programme National objective of raising the employment rate to 75-77 % by 2020, as well as with the country-specific Council Recommendation of 2012 concerning, inter alia, help to address youth unemployment, with emphasis on work placements in companies.
Priority axis 4. Development of skills of human resources and improvement of efficiency of the public administration
The fourth priority axis of the programme aims to develop the skills and knowledge of the labour force and promote participation in lifelong learning in order to link the skills mismatch in the labour market. It also seeks to improve the effectiveness of the public administration, and strengthen the administrative capacity of social and economic partners.
The objectives will be achieved through five individual specific objectives:
Upgrading knowledge, skills and competences of the workforce and certification of formal, non-formal and informal learning.
Increase the participation of young people aged years in technical and vocational education training.and ensure a link between the educational system and the labour market mainly through placement in enterprises.
Rational management of welfare benefits through a central management service.
The reform of the public sector through completion of the studies foreseen in the MoU, and training of public officials for administrative changes.
Upgrade the capacity of social partners for proper involvement and monitoring of co-financed programmes.
The budget of the axis is approximately 22 % of the total amount of Community assistance under the programme.and contributes directly to the achievement of the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, and in particular to the country-specific Council Recommendation of 2012 concerning the skills of the workforce to reinforce their occupational mobility towards activities of high added value and growth dynamics and the recommendation to address youth unemployment, with emphasis on work placements in co

27. European Commission-first raising VET attractiveness through Excellence and Quality.
European Commissioner Marianne Thyssen recently announced the organisation of the first raising VET attractiveness through Excellence and Quality.
Various events and activities are being organised throughout Europe, by companies, Vocational Education and Training (VET) providers, social partners, as well as many other stakeholders.
We are in the process of finalising the planning of events to take place in Brussels and you will hear more of that in due course.

28. And now finally …
Ευχαριστώ πάρα πολύ !