Aim and Purpose of the Scheme
The aim of the scheme is to facilitate the recruitment of young people from the Apprenticeship Scheme by Employers, who are occupied in positions chosen by the apprentices, and which offer them satisfactory internal training. The Scheme seeks to expand and improve the institution of apprenticeship with respect to the part of inter-business training, which is promoted in accordance to a program which is agreed between the Employer and the Inspector who is monitoriing the training of apprentices.
The Scheme provides subsidies to employers who participate in any of the two ways:
a) By 10% of the monthly salary of the executive member of the company who will be responsible for the internal training of apprentices, with a maximum amount of €171 per month. In the case where the executive member, who is assuming responsibility for the training, belongs to the category of self-employed, the funding will then be calculated based on remuneration contributions (imputed or actual), which are defined by the professional category in which the self-employed person is included.
If an employer provides occupation to more than one apprentices, the subsidy amounts to 15% of the executive member’s salary, with a maximum amount of €257 per month.
b) With the entire contribution which the employer is entitled to provide to the various Funds towards the training of the apprentice, according to the existing legislation, namely: Social Insurance Fund, Central Holiday Fund, Redundancy Fund, Human Resource Development Authority Fund and Social Cohesion Fund.
Eligibility
The right to participate in this scheme have all the employers who occupy or intend to do so young people under the Apprenticeship Scheme, in job positions related to the speciality of each apprentice, and provide internal training to them. It is noted that in order to participate in this Scheme, Employers themselves should submit the application.
For the 2011-12 academic year, the following specializations are available for the Apprenticeship Scheme, by province:
| Specialization | Nicosia | Limassol | Larnaca | Paphos |
| Automotive Engineering | Χ | Χ | Χ | Χ |
| Electrical Engineers | Χ | Χ | Χ | |
| Plumbing / Welding | Χ | Χ | Χ | Χ |
| Welding | Χ | Χ | ||
| Electrotechnical (Electrical facilities) | Χ | Χ | Χ | |
| Hairdressing | Χ | |||
| Building | Χ | Χ | Χ | |
| Woodworking / Furniture-making | Χ | Χ | Χ | |
| Repairing of Home Appliances | Χ |
Note: In Technical Schools in the Province of Famagusta the Apprenticeship Scheme is not in operation. Youngsters coming from this province are entitled to registered in the Apprenticeship Scheme operating in Technical Schools in Larnaca and eventually be placed under employers who operate in either Famagusta or Larnaca.