Filenews 29 October 2021 - by Theano Thiopoulou
Graduates of technical education face problems in the labour market due to the fact that they have more theoretical than practical knowledge and are faced with competition from a foreign workforce.
Essentially, technical education in Cyprus has weaknesses in relation to what the labour market asks for and the current trends that are taking shape. The authors of the report "the relationship between technical education and the labour market in Cyprus" of the Centre for Economic Research of the University of Cyprus note that "the research showed that graduates of technical education have a relatively fast and smooth entry into the labour market, with short periods of unemployment, underemployment and hetero-employment. The problems faced by graduates after their employment include their inadequate preparation due to restrictions related to the curriculum and competition from foreign labour."
The study of the two (Maria Iliofotou and Elias Markatzis) aims to investigate the relationship between technical education and the labour market in Cyprus. In particular, it deals with the main problems faced by technical education graduates in their transition from education to the labour market, the relationship between the knowledge and skills acquired at school and the knowledge and skills necessary in the workplace, the extent to which technical education succeeds in the work of preparing graduates for the labour market and changes that can facilitate the employment of technical graduates their education and success in the labour market.
Based on the findings of the report "the curriculum was criticised for overemphasising theory in relation to practice and for not revising it in line with modern trends".
Both officials and graduates rated technical education in Cyprus positively. Nevertheless, they identified weaknesses and made suggestions for strengthening the relationship between technical education and the labour market such as the training of graduates after entering the labour market, the revision of the curriculum and infrastructure, and a greater focus on students' preferences."
In conclusion, the report concludes, "the results of the survey showed that, as in other countries, graduates of technical education in Cyprus face unemployment and employment problems to a very small extent. At the same time, the lack of skilled labour in the technical professions in Cyprus creates the need for initiatives and measures to strengthen technical education. In this context, it is proposed, among other things, to collect, analyze and use data related to education and the labour market on a continuous and systematic basis. skilled labour force in the technical professions'.
The report notes that according to Eurostat data (2021), 48.4% of upper secondary school students were enrolled in technical/vocational disciplines in the countries of the European Union. In Cyprus, the corresponding figure was much lower (16.7%). The non-choice of technical education in Cyprus has been linked to the lack of skilled labour in technical professions. It is therefore important to strengthen technical education in a way that makes it a more attractive option for secondary school pupils. Relevant research is necessary to collect data that can form the basis for efforts to reform and strengthen technical education, the report concludes.
