Administrative Organization and Structure of the Greek Public Employment Service

The local responsibility for carrying out the decisions made by the Management of the Public Employment Service lies with the 8 Regional Directorates subjected directly to the Governor of the GPES, the EPC2, SSG Offices, as well as the educational units (VAS, E.VAS, PTI and APTC, Vocational Training School for the Disabled of Athens, Educational Center for Vocational Training of Adolescents and Young Persons with Special Needs of Thessaloniki, Nurseries).

Besides the realization of the decisions of the Management, one of the operational targets of the 8 Regional Directorates is to ensure the decentralized operation of the Organization through: (a) coordination, oversight and support of the local organizational units under their local responsibility, (b) covering the needs arising during the examination of objections, during the application of active and passive policies by local Employment Promotion Centers 2 and SSG Offices, (c) the unimpeded operation of the local Educational Structures & Nurseries and (d) the administrative, economic and information support of the local organizational units, in the application of housing support policies.

The 8 Regional Directorates are:

1. Attica, with the seat in the Municipality of Athens

2. Piraeus & the Islands, with the seat in the Municipality of Piraeus

3. Eastern Macedonia-Thrace with the seat in the Municipality of Kavala

4. Central & Western Macedonia, with the seat in the Municipality of Thessaloniki

5. Epirus, with the seat in the Municipality of Ioannina

6. Thessaly, with the seat in the Municipality of Larisa

7. Crete, with the seat in the Municipality of Heraklion

8. Peloponnese, with the seat in the Municipality of Patras

The Employment Promotion Centers (EPC2) of the GPES operate on a Sub-directorate or Department level and are one-stop shops for unemployed, employees and businesses. These structures provide the most important provided services for the promotion of employment and unemployment insurance. Indicatively the following are mentioned:

• Individualized approach, consulting and placement at an employment post (combination of work demand and supply)

• Provision of allowances and other social protection subsidies (passive policies)

• Application and management of programs and active employment policies.

Simultaneously, in some remote areas there are GPES Correspondents’ Offices in order to serve permanent residents.

There are also 2 Offices for Special Social Groups (Athens and Thessaloniki) aiming at the inclusion in the labor market of groups threatened by social exclusion:

• Persons with Disability

• Persons Released from Prison

• Former Drug Addicts

• Young delinquents or Persons in social danger

• Other vulnerable social groups as applicable.

Education and Training Units of the GPES also operate on Department level under the Regional Directorates. These Units include:

• 51 Vocational Apprenticeship Schools (VAS)

• 7 Experimental Vocational Schools (EVAS)

• 30 Professional Training Institutes (PTI)

• 6 Adult Professional Training Centers (APTC)

• 2 APTC for Disabled Persons

• 30 Professional Education Interconnection Offices (PEIO) and

• 26 Nurseries

The GPES applies the Apprenticeship system for the vocational education of pupils in various Vocational Schools (VAS) of the country, combining the vocational education in class and salaried practice in businesses.

The aim is for the person under training to acquire professional experience in real working conditions, so they can be appropriately prepared for their inclusion in the labor market. The on the job-training system has been shown effective in practice as the pupils after the end of their studies continue at a significant rate working in the practice jobs.

The GPES founded in 2021 seven new Experimental Apprenticeship Vocational Schools (EVAS), which will operate in seven cities, with three specializations in the sector of tourism and hospitality. The EVAS guarantee the placement of all apprentices in apprenticeship places in distinguished businesses of the tourist sector (4- and 5-star hotels), but they also enhance the perspective of their professional rehabilitation after completing studies.

Also, the GPES operates throughout Greece 31 PTI (Professional Training Institutes) for initial professional training after the Lyceum, by participating in theoretical and laboratory courses. They are supervised by the General Secretariat for Lifelong Learning of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs and provide the persons in training with initial professional training.

By developing the necessary skills and qualifications, providing scientific, technical, professional and practical knowledge, the PTIs of the GPES seek the smooth inclusion in the productive process.

The GPES has two Special Education training structures for the professional training of Persons with Disabilities: The Professional Training School for Disabled Persons in Galatsi and the Educational Professional Training Center for Adolescents and Young Persons with Special Needs (APTC for Disabled Persons) in Lakkia-Thessaloniki.

These structures aim at professional training (theoretical and practical) and socialization of unemployed persons with disabilities and consequently at their employment in the various sectors of economy. At the same time, persons in training receive psycho-social support and counselling by Specialized Scientific Personnel (psychologists, social workers, psychiatrist etc.).