Educational Opportunities to Be Offered to Greek Army Conscripts

Next year, more educational opportunities at various levels will be made available to Greek Army conscripts completing mandatory military service.

The Greek Ministry of National Defense hopes that the changes will help bolster enthusiasm for military service among young people who often feel that their time spent in the Army is not beneficial.

Several state vocational training certificates will be made available for conscripts during their period of service so that they can leave the Army having attained qualifications that are applicable in the civilian world.

Greek Army conscripts will have greater access to education in 2024

The Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias, and military experts are working on a plan for changes to how conscripts spend their time during military service. They aim to finish the proposals soon and consult on the complete plan for the “Tenure-Opportunity” program.

In addition to updating the duration of full service (which ranges from 9 to 12 months based on the conscripts’ unit assignment), adjustments will be introduced to the conscripts’ daily routine to better connect military service with the professional civilian world.

Military authorities examined approaches used by other countries such as Israel, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark, which also employ subscription as part of their national defense strategies.

Details of the new measures

Starting in 2024, all new conscripts will be given a complimentary tablet upon enlistment. This tablet will be used to input details about their education, work background, language proficiency, grammar knowledge, skills, and ambitions.

The Hellenic Armed Forces are already in the process of preparing a public bidding process to obtain fifty thousand tablets, which will be provided to incoming recruits. These tablets will be issued to conscripts for the duration of their service, similar to how they are provided with personal rifles.

The new measures are being introduced based on three main tenants: the continuation of military training, compulsory education for the attainment of “horizontal skills,” and optional education for the acquisition of “vertical skills.”

Naturally, conscripts will continue to spend most of their time training to hone military skills. However, a newer emphasis will also be placed on additional educational and vocational activities more relevant to employment in the civilian world. Much of this training will be conducted with the use of the aforementioned tablets.

Conscripts will have the opportunity to gain skills in various occupations such as computer technician, cook, baker, electrician, nurse, dental assistant, and pharmacist. Those who opt for these programs won’t need to pay tuition and can voluntarily enroll.

These study programs will be developed in partnership with state lifelong learning centers. Upon completion of all courses and an assessment, participants will receive a specialized certificate to validate their professional experience.