Σύντομες Ειδήσεις

Enhancement and Modernisation of the Public Employment Services

The enhancement and modernisation of the Public Employment Services (PES) was one of the priorities of the National Lisbon Programme. The measure included amongst others the development of the PES network through the upgrading of infrastructures and improvements in the access of citizens, the recruitment and development of personnel and the introduction of new and upgraded services to the unemployed, employees seeking better employment and employers.

Through the measure eight new Local Labour Offices were developed and six existing were upgraded (four district labour offices and two local ones). Furthermore, 18 qualified persons were recruited and trained as counsellors to provide active support to vulnerable groups through an individualised approach, relevant studies have been completed and a dissemination campaign of the project was carried out. The final budget for the project was €7.936.286.

In addition, under this measure another project was implemented, which aimed at the upgrading of the existing Candidate Placement System, with the final budget of €1.154.369.

During the programming period 2007-2013, further enhancement and modernisation of the PES is being promoted through the upgrading of IT tools for monitoring labour market developments

Schemes for the Promotion of Training and Employability of Selected Target-Groups and Consultancy Services and Training to Micro-Enterprises 

The Human Resource Development Authority (HRDA) developed and implemented five schemes. Three schemes were implemented that aimed to promote the training and employability of selected target groups of young secondary school-leavers, the unemployed and the economically inactive women. In addition, a scheme for the enhancement of computer literacy of the unemployed (with priority attached to young unemployed, women unemployed as well as groups of unemployed threatened by social exclusion) was implemented. The fifth scheme involved the provision of consultancy services and training to micro-enterprises employing 1-4 persons.

Approximately 1.740 persons participated in training programmes, 475 persons participated in work experience programmes and 600 micro-enterprises received consultancy and training services. The budgeted amount for the schemes was €6.500.000.

During the programming period 2007-2013, schemes are being promoted for improving the employability of the unemployed and economically inactive women, improving the competitiveness of micro-enterprises employing 1-4 persons and improving the productivity of SMEs employing 5-249 persons

Promotion of Modern and Flexible Forms of Employment

Within the framework of the government policy to promote the access of women to the labour market, the Cyprus Productivity Centre implemented the pilot subsidy scheme aiming at the promotion of flexible forms of employment in order to attract unemployed or economically inactive women into the labour market. 

Through the pilot scheme, 193 women were placed in 145 different companies / organisations. The budgeted amount for the scheme was €1.218.000

During the programming period 2007-2013, two schemes will be implemented for the promotion of flexible forms of employment. One scheme will provide subsidies to companies / organisations for employing economically inactive, unemployed persons and other vulnerable groups and the second scheme will provide subsidies and support to companies / organisations in order to develop and implement policies for flexible forms of employment.