Greece 
November 1997
 

Introduction Major problems Unemployment Introduction Major reforms of the Greek education and training have been introduced in 1976/77. These had the intention to strengthen the opportunities in technical and vocational education and training by comparison to general education. In this period a major extension of university education and the creation of higher technical education institutes has been taking place. Nevertheless the attractivity of the newly created state technical and vocational schools (TEL and TES) is, despite these intentions, rather limited. They are merely waiting rooms for re-entering general upper secondary education and/or tertiary education and are not preparing adequately for occupations and employment. The school system tends to orientate pupils into technical and vocational schools mainly if they fail in general education. Recently new training (OEEK) centres have been set up, where those y.p. which did not pass the entrance exams into higher education (universities and higher technical institutes), are eligible for getting an intensive training within 6 to 9 months in order to prepare them for employment. The apprenticeship system run by the labour administration (OAED), even if it is not very important in terms of number of places available, seems to be more attractive and delivering good employment prospects. A further or continuing education/training is quasi non-existent. A few private institutes and a lot of foreign colleges and universities (mainly British or American) are offering a wide range of very expensive courses. The motivation of Greeks to attend further education or training is very high, but any attendance is so costly that only a few can afford it. There are no state run programs or incentives for participants. The brain drain continues to be a major phenomena in Greece, involving quite a number of students looking for more sophisticated studies and/or job prospects abroad. [Back to the top] Major problems The Greek training system needs a basic restructuring in line with a modernization of its training objectives and contents/methods/laboratories, etc.; a closer link with the branch and industry/service organisations (social partners); and proper quality control mechanisms which include social partners and professionals; an increasing effort linked to the renewal of training provisions for the (private) services sector. The social/structural fund mechanisms/interventions into training need to be made more cost-effective and should be better used for implementing coherent qualification levels and occupational profiles while insuring an equivalence or at least a certain coherence between the different providers (state run vocational education/training and OAED training or even private training providers linked to further education/training). The installation of tripartite councils or branch committees may be useful in order to assist public bodies on local, regional and national level to properly prepare and implement such structures. Only under such conditions could be reached the target of making these opportunities more attractive to both parents/pupils and potential employers. [Back to the top] Unemployment The unemployment rate in Greece has been in 1994: 9.6% (for comparison: 1990: 7%). Youth employment has been ca. 28% and female unemployment about 14%. Because of a lack of incentives and inadequate unemployment insurance systems and guidance/placement provisions the hidden unemployment seems to be quite important. In 1995 the long-term unemployment was 52% of general unemployment. Formal and informal immigration or remigration of people from (former) Yugoslavia, from Albania/Rumania/Bulgaria and from the Soviet Union are increasing the number of those looking for employment. [Back to the top]