1. Workshop Overview
• Country: Cyprus
• Date:Â
• Venue: Limassol
• Organising Partner: Center for Technology Research and Innovation Ltd (CETRI)
• Number of participants: 25
• Stakeholder groups represented: VET providers, Schools & educators, Government & policy bodies, Green tech companies, Female entrepreneurs, NGOs & community organisations, Industry associations, and Public agencies / employment offices.
2. Summary of Workshop Agenda
The workshop included an introduction to the Women4AGreenEU project objectives, a review of the EU policy framing (European Green Deal, Skills Agenda, Gender Equality Strategy), breakout discussions focused on identifying barriers and solutions, and a plenary reporting session to prioritize recommendations.
3. Key Insights from Breakout Sessions
Breakout Session 1
– Barriers:
• Traditional gender stereotypes
• Lack of visible female role models
• Insufficient career guidance for girls
• Unequal access to green technology training
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– Quotes or representative statements:
• “Mentorship networks provide the guidance and encouragement needed to navigate career hurdles in green tech.” — Student, Cyprus
• “Flexible training pathways are crucial for balancing family responsibilities while re-skilling for green jobs.” — Women returner to workforce, Cyprus
• “Clearer career guidance in schools would bridge the gap between interest and participation in green sectors.” — Educator, Cyprus
• “Employer incentives and supportive team cultures are essential to retain women in technical green roles.” — HR Professional, Cyprus
Breakout Session 2
– Opportunities and Solutions:
• Mentorship networks
• Scholarships for women in STEM
• Early engagement in green tech in schools
• Flexible working arrangements
• Enhanced industry-academia partnerships
– Stakeholder perspectives:
Stakeholders emphasized the necessity of a holistic approach: educators highlighted the critical role of early career guidance, industry representatives stressed the value of flexible work environments for retention, and policy makers underscored the importance of integrating gender-disaggregated data into future green sector strategy.
– Prioritised recommendations:
1. Integrate Green-Skills and Gender-Equality modules into vocational training curricula;
2. Create a formal Mentorship Network connecting industry experts with women and students;
3. Implement financial incentives/tax breaks for companies meeting gender-diversity targets in green technical roles.
4. Policy Input for the EU-Level Blueprint
• National-level policy gaps identified:
Weak links between education and labour market needs and limited public information on green career pathways.
• Proposed policy measures:
Skills development programs, internships, research support, and monitoring of gender equity indicators.
• Relevance for EU-level policy harmonisation:This workshop contributes to the EU-level Women4AGreenEU Policy Blueprint by providing localized data and insights that inform cross-country policy analysis. The identification of barriers and solutions in the Cypriot context directly supports the alignment of national education and labor market strategies with EU-wide priorities, such as the European Green Deal, the European Skills Agenda, and the EU Gender Equality Strategy 2020–2025. By fostering an active network of stakeholders and promoting gender-inclusive green-skills training, the workshop outcomes facilitate the development of scalable best practices, ensuring harmonized gender equity efforts across EU member states.
• Suggestions for inclusion in the Policy Blueprint:
– Establish a national mentorship network connecting women in green technology with students and early-career professionals.
– Integrate gender-inclusive green-skills training and career guidance into VET and secondary school curricula.
– Provide fiscal incentives for companies that adopt flexible working arrangements and diversity hiring targets in green sectors.
– Launch targeted scholarship programs for women pursuing STEM and green technology qualifications.
– Formalize industry-academia partnerships to create direct pathways for internships and apprenticeship placements for women in green tech.
5. Participation & Feedback Summary
Participants identified several key barriers to women’s entry into the green technology sector, most notably unconscious bias, the lack of visible role models, limited training opportunities, and family responsibilities. To address these, respondents strongly supported the implementation of mentoring initiatives, awareness campaigns, scholarships, and networking platforms. Suggested policy measures include integrating women’s feedback directly into policy formulation, offering employer incentives for inclusive hiring, bridging the gender pay gap, and establishing advisory bodies such as a National Women in Green Tech Council.
6. Annexes
• Signed attendance sheet
• Completed breakout materials
• Photos (optional)
• Agenda
• Stakeholder list