“The creation of thousands of new qualitative jobs remains an open and lasting bet,” said the Commander of the Public Employment Service (DEPA), Spyros Protopsaltisin an interview with RES-EIA, referring to the personal bets, which he set since the beginning of his duties.
As Mr Protopsaltis notes, one of the first and most critical bets was to contribute substantially to the conversion of DBA- then OAED- from a bureaucratic organization to a real ally for the unemployed and business.
Another big bet was for unemployment to retreat significantly, giving hope and opportunities to thousands of our fellow citizens.
“Looking back, I feel very pleased with some things that have been achieved. The fact that we recorded a historic record of 235,000 hires through our programs and have managed to reduce unemployment in half over the last five years is something that fills us with the power to continue, ”says Protopsaltis.
At the same time, he stresses that the record of 235,000 hires and 350,000 trainees, through the DBA programs, confirms that the emphasis on active employment policies is contributing to a major reduction in unemployment in half over the past five years.
“For 2025,” he says, “employment programs focus mainly on supporting people who face the biggest barriers to labor market integration, such as young people, women and long -term unemployed.
As far as geographical areas are concerned, there are open grant programs of business initiatives and recruitment of unemployed in areas affected by natural disasters, such as Evros, Thessaly, northern Euboea and western Macedonia. “
Regarding the new DBA entrepreneurship program, which increased the budget and the number of beneficiaries, Mr Protopsaltis emphasizes that, on the basis of the available data available, over 70% of the beneficiaries are women, while 49% of the beneficiaries reside in Attica and Central Macedonia, with 51% in Greece.
According to the DBA Governor, these rates demonstrate a significant emphasis on strengthening female entrepreneurship and a relatively balanced distribution of beneficiaries between the two major urban centers and the rest of the country, two targets set from the outset.
Mr. Protopsaltis also analyzes the positive results of the Jobmatch Digital Digital Tool and the upgraded Jobmatch 2.0 application, with the aim of filling in job vacancies in the critical sectors of tourism and catering, while adding that the DBA continues to invest very targeted, to upgrade their skills.
In fact, he announces the second “career day” abroad after Düsseldorf.
Asked about vocational education and training, the DBA commander replies that the main goal is to make conscious choices for young people, “in order to start producing more graduates in high demand specialties and not the other way around.”
Finally, Mr. Protopsaltis talks about the Social Tourism Program 2025-2026 and clarifies that this year the program begins on June 1, 2025, earlier than ever, so that the beneficiaries can use the checks all summer long and not just the peak months, which is July and August.
Following is the entire interview of the DBA commander:
1. K. Protopsaltis you are the head of the Public Employment Service for about five years. What are the personal bets you had set up with your assumption? What do you think have been won and which remain open?
It is true that, after more than 20 years of study and term in various government positions in the United States of America, I decided to return to Greece in 2019. It was a conscious choice of offering to my home country, utilizing the experience and knowledge I had gained.
One of my first and most critical personal bets was to contribute substantially to the conversion of the DBA- then OAED- from a bureaucratic organization to a real ally for the unemployed and business. I wanted to see a service more effective, more flexible and more adapted to the modern needs of the labor market.
Another big bet was to see unemployment recede significantly, giving hope and opportunities to thousands of our fellow citizens.
Looking back, I feel very pleased with some things that have been achieved. The fact that we recorded a historic record of 235,000 hires through our programs and have managed to reduce unemployment in half over the last five years is something that fills us with the power to continue.
I use the first plural, because this effort is collective and, in this context, I would like to thank all the DBA employees for their significant contribution to this effort over the years. However, I know very well that we still have enough to do. The creation of thousands of new quality jobs remains an open and lasting bet.
My personal vision is to contribute as much as I can, along with political leadership, so that every Greek and every Greek has the opportunity for a decent and sustainable work.
2. What is the impact of active employment policies implemented by the DBA on the labor market? In which population groups and geographical areas do employment programs focus in 2025?
The record of 235,000 hires and 350,000 trainees, through the DBA programs, confirms that the emphasis on active employment policies attributes, contributing a major reduction in unemployment in half over the past five years.
For 2025, employment programs focus primarily on supporting people who face the biggest obstacles for labor market integration, such as young people, women and long -term unemployed.
As far as geographical areas are concerned, there are open grant programs for business initiatives and recruitment of unemployed in areas affected by natural disasters such as Evros, Thessaly, Northern Euboea and Western Macedonia.
3. The DBA expands beneficiaries and increases the budget of the new entrepreneurship program. What is the profile of the beneficiaries, based on the tables of the results, posted?
With the aim of meeting more needs, in the new DBA entrepreneurship program, which is aimed at the unemployed 30-59 years, with a focus on women and subsidizing 17,000 euros in the creation of new businesses, we have increased its budget from € 100 million to 170 million euros and the number of beneficiaries from 5,880 to 10,000.
Based on the data we have at our disposal, more than 70% of the beneficiaries are women, while 49% of the beneficiaries reside in Attica and Central Macedonia, with the remaining 51% in the rest of Greece.
These rates show a significant emphasis on enhancing female entrepreneurship and a relatively balanced distribution of beneficiaries between the two major urban centers and the rest of the country, two goals we had set from the beginning.
4. The lack of workforce is nowadays one of the most important challenges for Greek businesses, while unemployment in our country has fallen below 10%, according to ELSTAT data. Tourism and focus are two branches that are confronted with this phenomenon. In this context, DBA launches new upgraded digital tools to enhance employment. How do you evaluate their effectiveness?
For another year, the DBA makes available to the critical sectors of tourism and catering an innovative digital tool for filling vacancies, which are increasing in a period with a significant decrease in unemployment and at the same time a record of tourism.
Our goal is to directly and effectively connect employers and prospective employees, with speed, accuracy and transparency.
The first -year results of Jobmatch indicate a successful beginning. In total, since May 2024, the platform has 22,068 candidates (11,068 unemployed), 3,948 companies and has become 41,741 matches, while in the last week, with the renewal of Jobmatch 2.0, 2,688 candidates have been registered, of which 1.587 registered unemployed, ie 12%, That is, an increase of 44%. Also, 2,387 new jobs are offered and more than 9,500 matches have already been done.
5. At the same time, the DBA continues to invest in consulting and preparation activities for labor market integration. How do you judge the imprint of these initiatives? Is it in the immediate plans to make a second “career day” abroad, after Düsseldorf, with the aim of repatriating Greeks?
We continue to invest very much targeted in actions, helping citizens face the challenges of the modern labor market and upgrade their skills.
The large number of team counseling laboratories implemented in 2024 (1,128) and the number of citizens who have benefited (over 12,000), confirm the widespread impact and effectiveness of these initiatives.
We continue in May, organizing 156 group counseling workshops for the preparation of citizens to integrate the labor market.
As far as your second question is concerned, it is in our plans to make a second “career day” abroad, after Düsseldorf. However, I still don’t have to announce anything specific.
6. In May, “Open Day-Know the Schools of the DAB” will take place throughout the country. What are the job prospects offered by vocational education and training?
Our main goal is for vocational education and training to make conscious choices for young people, with the aim of starting to produce more graduates in high demand specialties rather than the other way around.
The job prospects offered by vocational education and training are very satisfactory if we take into account that the absorption of graduates of Vocational Schools (EPAS) of the DBA apprenticeship in the labor market has reached 77% in the last two years.
We will continue to invest in training our young people, with the aim of equipping them with the necessary supplies that will help ensure a sure professional future.
7. Did the applications for the Social Tourism Program 2025-2026 opened? How many will concern?
Applications for this year’s Social Tourism Program opened last Wednesday, May 7, 2025.
It has a budget of 50m euros and relates to, like last year, to 300,000 vouchers.
However, what I would like to emphasize is that, this year, it begins on June 1, 2025, earlier than ever, as we wanted the beneficiaries to be able to use checks all summer long and not just the peak months, which is July and August.
I would like to remind you that, in addition to staying in tourist accommodation, ferry tickets are also subsidized. Participation is 25%, while for people with disabilities, tickets are free.