The project “Bridging the Skills Gap” is supported within the framework of the Swiss-Greek Cooperation Programme, aiming to empower migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers by providing tailored education and vocational training to address labor market needs. The project targets unaccompanied minors, migrants, and asylum seekers, equipping them with soft skills, digital literacy, and vocational expertise while fostering their social and economic integration. Additionally, it supports industries like tourism, logistics, and shipbuilding by addressing critical labor shortages through specialized training programs. The project bridges the gap between workforce needs and available talent by offering innovative solutions, including AI-driven tools for career guidance, skill assessment, and job matching. It emphasizes creating pathways to employment and reducing risks like human trafficking, illegal migration, and unemployment among vulnerable groups.

Project description

Background

Greece faces significant challenges, including high youth unemployment and an unmet demand for skilled labor in key sectors such as tourism, shipbuilding, and logistics. Refugees and migrants, particularly women and unaccompanied minors, are often excluded from the labor market due to language barriers, lack of skills, and legal constraints. Simultaneously, industries like logistics face acute labor shortages, with Greece projected to experience a 17% shortfall in truck drivers by 2026. Odyssea, the executing agency, has designed a solution to address both these challenges: empowering vulnerable groups through tailored vocational training while simultaneously supporting industry-specific workforce development. The project incorporates innovative approaches, including AI-driven employability tools and mobile education units to reach underserved regions.

Objectives

The project aims to equip 1,500 migrants and refugees with vocational training and career-oriented skills, facilitating their entry into the labor market and bridging 170 companies with qualified talent to address labor shortages in sectors such as tourism, logistics, and shipbuilding. By reducing the risks of human trafficking and illegal migration, the project contributes to fostering safer and more stable pathways to employment. Additionally, it promotes knowledge transfer between Switzerland and Greece, emphasizing vocational education and training as a critical component of sustainable social and economic integration.

Target groups

The direct beneficiaries include refugees, migrants, asylum seekers, and unaccompanied minors in Athens and Thessaloniki. Indirect beneficiaries include large companies, SMEs, NGOs, and government agencies that benefit from improved workforce readiness and social cohesion.

Activities

The project focuses on conducting soft skills and digital literacy workshops to empower participants and reduce barriers to employment. It offers tailored vocational training in high-demand sectors like shipbuilding, tourism, and logistics, in collaboration with industry partners such as SENAVI. Employability services include CV creation, job matching, and post-hire support. The project also organizes job fairs and networking events to connect participants with potential employers and utilizes AI-powered tools for skill assessment, job matching, and personalized career guidance. Services will expand to rural areas through mobile education units and a new training hub in a major Greek city.

Federal office responsible

Federal Department of Justice and Police / State Secretariat for Migration