According to new research from Adecco Greece’s ‘Employability in Greece 2016’ survey, 7 out of 10 entrepreneurs believe the Greek education system falls short in offering the country’s young workforce the skill sets needed to be competitive in the hiring market.

Data from the survey showed that 44% of firms surveyed found qualified candidates applying for positions available. Moreover, 39% of respondents felt that the education system does not prepare candidates properly for a smooth integration into the labour market. 

The survey also suggested that employers do not seem to be satisfied with the ability of candidates to solve complex problems as respondents stated that only 46% of candidates had this ability, while 76% of employers stated that this ability was an essential skill.

CEO of Adecco Greece, Constantinos Mylonas, commented: " The labour market, not only in Greece, but on the international level, has changed radically. The modern world has the main characteristics of innovation, intense competition, globalisation, and fast pace and constant technological changes. Many of the skills that were useful a decade ago are now considered obsolete and have been replaced by others. The demand for certain positions changed as a result of technological development and automation, which affects nearly all existing jobs.”

"In this ever-changing landscape, there is an urgent need for properly trained and constantly updated staff, so we can have businesses remain competitive in a very challenging environment and competing workers who can dynamically reclaim the professional future they deserve. Once again, the importance of efficient cooperation between educational institutions and the business community to develop appropriate skills in modern workers and candidates' emerges.

"Significant deviations are shown between what characteristics candidates believe they have and what employers see. The 'gap' should be closed to enable the modern candidates to identify and develop the skills they really need for the job market."

The report examined how employers see candidates' skills and whether they believe that the Greek educational system has the right skills for tomorrow’s jobs, while also highlighting and making recommendations for employers to better prepare candidates from the educational system.