Labour Minister calls for constant upgrade in employees’ knowledge and skills

The last years have seen significant changes in the Cypriot labour market and professions, Minister of Labour and Social Insurance Yiannis Panayiotou said, highlighting the need for the ongoing upgrade of workers’ knowledge and skills.

He was addressing a ceremony for the presentation of the Cyprus Human Resources Development Authority’s report titled “Projections for demand and supply in the Cypriot labour force 2022-2032”.

Panayiotou said the significant and accelerating changes to the local labour market were thanks to the globalisation of the economy, digital transformation, demographic changes associated with population ageing, environmental challenges, the Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical developments due to the continuing war in Ukraine.

Among the greatest challenges facing the Cypriot economy and labour market under these challenging conditions, he added, is to maintain employment and further reduce the unemployment rate, improve corporate competitiveness and resilience, and create the right conditions for sustainable and green growth.

Noting that Cyprus’ human force will act as a catalyst in efforts to successfully tackle these challenges, Panayiotou said that “for this reason the constant upgrade of knowledge and skills via life-long learning activities is imperative”.

Knowledge and skills that persons acquired through the education system are not enough for their working life while changes in employment are common, he added, pointing out that academic credentials and specialisation are significant for their entry to the labour market.

“But their professional progress is largely based on their capacity to constantly acquire the knowledge and skills the economy demands,” Panayiotou said.

Concluding, the minister called for a culture change in life-long learning “as Cyprus has one of the lowest participation rates in life-long learning activities in the EU.

(Source: CNA)