A doubly subsidized program of training and integration into the labor market in high-demand positions, 10,000 unemployed will be implemented by the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, with the implementing agency DYPA, with a total budget of 152 million from the Recovery Fund.

As stated by the ministry, in the invitation published today at 15.00, businesses are invited to submit an online application through gov.gr at the address: https://www.gov.gr/ipiresies/epikheirematikedrasterioteta/apaskholese-prosopikou/summetokhe- epikheireseon-ergodoton-se-programmata-katartises-anergon. There, businesses choose the state aid scheme and determine the positions, specialties and required qualifications. The DYPA then confirms that the business meets the conditions, evaluating the affiliation application within 10 working days and indicates to the businesses candidates according to the qualifications of the position, within 5 working days of the issuance of the affiliation/funding decision. The company then pre-selects among the candidates within 10 working days days and DYPA informs the unemployed person pre-selected by the company by any suitable means within 3 days.

In addition, the shortlisted candidate completes an online application form, selects and attends a training program of their choice (office clerks or salespeople), and then takes a certification exam. After its certification, the company proceeds with recruitment.

As the ministry notes, the program provides, on the one hand, paid skills upgrading and certification through Continuing Professional Training programs and, on the other hand, the hiring of beneficiaries who complete the training in full-time positions for one year, from businesses that will be subsidized to cover payroll and non salary costs.

In particular, the program is a comprehensive intervention aimed at the labor and social reintegration of unemployed people, registered in the DYPA Digital Register, who belong to all categories of beneficiaries of the Minimum Guaranteed Income (EEI), i.e. single-person households, multi-person households and the homeless.

The program will evolve into two phases:

  • In upgrading skills and training through Continuing Professional Training (CPT) programs, as well as their mandatory certification. The on-the-job training will last 80 hours and will cover high-demand sectors such as office workers and salespeople. The amount of the training subsidy (educational allowance) for the total of 80 hours amounts to 400 euros.
  • In the recruitment of beneficiaries who complete the training program and receive certification, for 12 months, in full-time positions through the grant of private sector enterprises.

What unemployed beneficiaries of the program should know

A necessary condition for participation in continuing professional training programs is that the beneficiaries are unemployed and registered in the DYPA Digital Register, and belong to all categories of beneficiaries of the Minimum Guaranteed Income (EEI), i.e. single-person households , large households and homeless graduates of compulsory education.

After the publication of the invitation and the submission of applications by companies (submission of a vacancy order), the beneficiaries are indicated by a DYPA employment consultant to a beneficiary company for employment and their pre-selection follows.

Training vouchers

Beneficiaries will be able to receive, according to their personal needs, VET services from providers of their choice, who have joined the Register of Eligible Training Providers of DYPA. In this context, the beneficiaries are entitled to a personal training voucher, with which they acquire the possibility to be trained in a specific VET program of their choice.

How will they get the 400 euro subsidy?

Every beneficiary who completed the program of Continuing Professional Training and Certification of knowledge, abilities and skills and signed an employment contract with the company following the recommendation of the competent Labor Adviser, is entitled to receive an educational allowance, which amounts to 5 euros/hour of training, not including insurance contributions.

The training lasts 80 hours and the amount of the training subsidy in total can amount to 400 euros.

How will the employees be selected by the companies

The potential beneficiaries are indicated to the beneficiary companies by the DYPA employment advisors with a constituent note in the context of the personalized approach process and based on the Digital Individual Action Plan they have drawn up together. Beneficiary companies pre-select among the candidates the most suitable for the position and inform DYPA accordingly, via the DYPA e-Services platform. Then, the unemployed beneficiaries are required to choose a vocational training program provided within the framework of this Project through the Voucher.gov.gr website. After the successful completion of the training and certification of the beneficiary, he is hired in a subsidized position at the beneficiary employer who has preselected him. If a beneficiary after completing the training does not wish to be employed by the specific beneficiary company that preselected him, he will be able to be referred to another.

What is in store for businesses – what amount of grant they will receive

Beneficiaries of the employment program are private companies and generally private sector employers who carry out regular economic activity and are active in all regions of the country. The maximum amount of the grant amounts to 13,416 euros for 12 months, the salary and non-salary costs will also be subsidized.

The application with the relevant supporting documents for the grant payment is submitted to the Active Employment Policy Monitoring Office/Department of the competent KPA2, where the headquarters or the branch where the beneficiary is employed belongs, in electronic form, in the DYPA Information System (e-Services) on the website www.dypa.gov.gr.

With the publication of the project call, businesses wishing to participate in the business grant program for the employment of unemployed EEE will be invited to submit an application for affiliation/financing, which includes a vacancy order, on the Greek state website gov.gr, as mentioned above.

What is provided for training providers

Through the training voucher the VET provider receives their remuneration for the programme. The training cost per trainee for the training providers is set at 4.50 euros/hour, which includes the cost to cover the insurance contributions of the trainees, while the training allowance for the trainees, as already mentioned, is set at 5 euros/hour , not including insurance contributions.