2025 proved to be a particularly productive year for the Human Resource Development Authority (HRDA), as part of its efforts to implement its vision for the continuous upgrading of the knowledge and skills of Cyprus’s human capital, the country’s most valuable resource, according to the President of the HRDA Board of Directors, Dr. Konstantinos N. Fellas, in an interview with “Entrepreneurial Limassol”.
As he noted, among the year’s most significant achievements was the further alignment of training programmes with labour market needs, with an emphasis on skills related to the green and digital transition, as well as the strengthening of reskilling and upskilling initiatives. Expenditure on human resource development amounted to €46.2 million in 2025, marking a 21% increase compared to 2024.
A further important development was the promotion of the necessary actions to bring self-employed persons under the remit of the HRDA by 2026. With the adoption of the relevant legislative amendments, self-employed individuals will gain equal rights and access to training opportunities alongside other workers.
At the same time, through the utilisation of new technologies, a substantial improvement was achieved in the effectiveness of HRDA services, along with a significant reduction in bureaucracy. Indicatively, the average processing time for grant applications fell to 29 days in 2025, from 74 days in 2024 and 194 days in 2023. Similarly, the processing time for applications for programme approval was reduced to 7.9 days, despite an increase in applications to 12,216 (+12%).
Referring to challenges, Dr. Fellas highlighted the shortage of skilled labour in key sectors of the economy, such as tourism, healthcare, agriculture, construction, manufacturing and information technology, as well as the relatively high unemployment rate among young people aged 15–24. At the same time, participation of individuals aged 25–64 in education and training activities remains low, as does participation in vocational education compared to general and tertiary education.
A further major challenge is the mismatch between skills acquired through education and labour market needs, resulting in graduates being employed in positions that do not require university education, while shortages persist in STEM professions, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.
The President of the HRDA underlined that digital and green skills remain critical, along with specialisations in high-demand sectors such as information technology and healthcare. At the same time, skills such as analytical thinking, creativity, adaptability, leadership and collaboration are emerging as decisive factors for productivity and innovation. In the coming years, skills related to digital transformation, artificial intelligence, automation and lifelong learning are expected to dominate.
Within the framework of the Recovery and Resilience Plan, the HRDA is implementing extensive digital training programmes for employees and unemployed persons, ranging from basic applications to specialised fields such as data analysis and cybersecurity. By November 2025, 6,800 participations in relevant programmes had been recorded.
At the same time, the HRDA actively supports the green transition through targeted actions in areas such as energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, the circular economy and sustainable development, acting as a catalyst for a more competitive and socially responsible economic environment.
Looking ahead to 2026, Mr. Fellas noted that the HRDA will continue to roll out its interventions dynamically, with an emphasis on employment, activation of the unemployed and lifelong learning. Multi-company Training Programmes have already been approved and will be implemented in the first half of 2026, with a total budget of €34.1 million and 104,800 participations.
The operation of Individual Learning Accounts also continues, along with the implementation of a new project for young people not in education, employment or training (NEETs), co-funded by the European Social Fund+ and the HRDA.
Finally, the President of the HRDA noted that during 2025 more than 2,200 businesses based in the Limassol district participated in the Authority’s training programmes.
