The Pact for Skills is pleased to announce the launch of a Regional Skills Partnership in Greece’s Thessaly region. This ambitious new partnership will equip local workers with the skills they need to thrive in the twin green and digital transition.
The European Union’s twin transition is reshaping life, work, and regional development, unlocking opportunities for innovation, competitiveness and sustainability.
However, not all regions are equally prepared. Thessaly, in Central Greece, faces challenges: GDP per capita is just 51% of the EU average, with youth unemployment at 33.3% and long-term unemployment at 9.1%. Without targeted support, the region risks falling behind.
The twin transition offers a path forward for the region through smart farming, clean energy, digital tourism, and circular production. For example, Thessaly’s Smart Specialisation Strategy will be key to unlocking the region’s potential, channelling investment into innovation that leverages local strengths and aligns with EU priorities.
The ambition
The Regional Skills Partnership will build a future-ready workforce equipped to thrive in a green and digital economy. It will focus on key sectors such as smart agriculture, renewable energy, eco-tourism, and digital logistics.
The Regional Skills Partnership will also address challenges such as structural unemployment, offering targeted training and upskilling opportunities for young people, women, long-term unemployed individuals, and rural communities – ensuring no one is left behind.
The goal is to position Thessaly as a leading example of skills-driven economic renewal, grounded in its Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3) and aligned with major EU initiatives including the European Green Deal, the Digital Decade, and the European Pillar of Social Rights.
The commitments
To meet its goals, the Regional Skills Partnership will design and deliver upskilling and reskilling programmes that are tailored to Thessaly’s green and digital priorities.
It will roll out 25 modular training programmes by 2030, covering sectors like agri-food innovation, renewable energy, digital tourism, and sustainable logistics.
Furthermore, a dedicated skills observatory will track job market trends and forecast future needs, helping shape training, career guidance, and workforce strategies that reflect economic realities and demands.
To foster collaboration and boost visibility, the Regional Skills Partnership will host the biannual Thessaly Summit, bringing together educators, businesses, public authorities, and civil society to drive innovation and align skills with opportunity.
The Summit will promote collaboration through invited EU partners and showcase local innovation via interactive booths focused on youth employment, vocational education and training (VET) projects, and sustainable businesses.
To ensure lasting impact, communities of practice and working groups will be formed to drive cooperation.
Find out more in the Partnership Declaration below:
Details
- Publication date
- 29 October 2025
- Author
- Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion