Fifteen new technicians, graduates of the Vocational Apprenticeship School (EPAS) of DYPA Elefsina, joined the workforce at Elefsina Shipyards. The event was attended by Minister of Labor and Social Security Niki Kerameus and DYPA Governor Spyros Protopsaltis.
Minister Kerameus highlighted the need for targeted action to address the toughest part of unemployment. She praised the DYPA program for matching training with real labor market needs. “By listening to the needs of the labor market, we prepare young people for new jobs,” she said. Kerameus encouraged more businesses to share their workforce demands so the Public Employment Service and Ministry of Labor can better support them.
ONEX Group President and CEO Panos Xenokostas welcomed the new recruits and emphasized the power of public-private cooperation. He said the 15 new professionals joining through DYPA’s apprenticeship program prove that partnership with vision and planning gives the shipbuilding industry a future.
“The shipyards are our people, and we invest in them every day,” Xenokostas said. “Our goal is to grow the ONEX family further. We don’t just invest in skills, but in people — new minds and hands who will take responsibility for the next day in our shipyards. The need for skilled workers is immediate and growing. Our collaboration with DYPA creates a new generation of craftsmen trained to meet industry demands.”
Xenokostas also thanked Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Minister Kerameus, and DYPA Governor Protopsaltis for their excellent cooperation.
On his last day as Governor of DYPA, Spyros Protopsaltis expressed pride in the success of this public-private partnership. “Seeing students graduate and gain jobs shows our policies bring real results,” he said. “We will continue, from wherever we serve, with the same commitment to people and the future of our country.”
