The need for craftsmen is pressing in the construction industry in Cyprus

The huge need for craftsmen in the construction industry in Cyprus has been underlined during a public discussion in Nicosia. According to ANAD's forecasts for the decade 2022 - 2032, the number of vacancies for skilled craftsmen is more than 1000 every year. This issue in combination with the labour employment policy for third-country nationals and vocational training programs was the focus of the closing event of the Erasmus Mitrust project “Implementation of innovative digital tools for migrant construction training".

The event took place on Tuesday, 17 October 2023 at the POVEK Hall with the participation of stakeholders, associations, and citizens. The event was organized by POVEK and the Opinion & Opinion group. Opinion & Action is the Cypriot partner in the European Erasmus Partnership "Mitrust".

Stelios Mytidis, ANAD Officer at the Research and Planning Directorate presented the employment needs projections in Cyprus for the whole decade (2022-2032). In the construction sector, it is estimated that about 850 workers will be needed to meet the growing needs of the economy and construction development, as well as to replace those who retire or leave for health or other reasons. According to the ANAD study the need for craftsmen, machine operators and labourers, is approximately:

• Stone builders (179 persons)
• Building electricians (104 persons)
• Pelicans and carpenters (77 persons)
• Concrete workers, moulders, and ironworkers (71 persons)
• Construction workers (70 people)
• Building painters (51 persons)
• Plumbers and pipe fitters (49 persons)
• Machinery operators (42 persons)
• Welders and metal cutters (36 persons)
• Engineers and installers of electronic equipment, machines, and devices (19 persons)
• Air conditioning and refrigeration engineers (19 people)
• Plasterers (15 people)
• Machine operators of concrete and cement products (11 persons)

Most jobs in the technical professions cannot be filled by domestic (Cypriot) labour. In this context, the Erasmus Mitrust project team presented their deliverables and results.

VET instructor Stelios Pierides spoke about the tangible results, namely the E-Learning Platform aimed at foreign workers who want to work in the construction industry, in order to acquire the most basic soft skills and knowledge of terminology and tools on construction sites.

Associations of small and medium-sized enterprises and craftsmen, vocational training instructors, representatives from public technical education and local authorities, experts on migrant issues and members of the migrant community took part in the discussion that followed. Particular attention was paid to the development of the cross-cutting skills of the foreign workforce to familiarize them with the working environment at construction sites (communication, teamwork, problem-solving, stress management, etc.) and to the delivery of health and safety training courses.

On behalf of the POVEK, Evelthon Iakovidis stressed the importance of utilizing the good practices offered by the Erasmus programmes and the experience transferred from countries such as Germany, which have advanced vocational training systems.

Read more:

Presentation by S. Mytidis - ANAD - Forecasts of construction industry needs

Presentation by S. Pierides - The Mitrust Project

Websites:

Erasmus Mitrust Project https://www.migrantstrust.com/el/

Mitrust E-Learning Platform https://elearning.migrantstrust.com

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