Cyprus addresses vocational education gap at SkillsCyprus 2026

President Nikos Christodoulides addressed the ninth National Skills Competition, SkillsCyprus 2026, held on Thursday at the State Fair in Nicosia. Represented by Labour Minister Marinos Mousiouttas, the President highlighted that only 17.9 percent of secondary education students in Cyprus are enrolled in vocational programmes, a figure significantly below the European Union average of 52.4 percent. While the European Commission recognizes Cyprus as one of the fastest-growing economies in the bloc, it has identified persistent challenges in productivity, innovation, and skills development, urging the country to improve the attractiveness of technical training to address labor market shortages.

Despite the low overall statistics, President Christodoulides noted a sharp increase in the number of students choosing technical education after graduating from gymnasium. The government has taken proactive steps to expand capacity by establishing technical gymnasiums across the country, starting with Limassol and Nicosia, followed by Paphos and Larnaca. The President emphasized that current demand for these placements already exceeds available capacity, signaling a positive shift in interest. The government remains committed to further increasing these opportunities to align with national economic goals and labor market needs.