ODYGO
ODYGO — Driving Access to Vocational Pathways
A holistic initiative targeting EPAL (Vocational High School) students aged 16–18 in remote and underserved areas of Greece. Through skills workshops, career guidance, networking and entrepreneurship training, ODYGO provides tools and confidence to build a better professional and personal future — both locally and beyond.
Supporters
37
Schools reached
5,899
Students reached
97
Teachers Trained
Every mission starts with a van. It ends with a student who can name a career they didn’t know existed the week before.
The OdyBox travels to schools that the system rarely reaches — remote towns, island communities, underserved neighbourhoods — and turns any available space into a working vocational lab. For three days, students get hands-on access to 3D printers, electrical panels, professional kitchens, and barista stations. Teachers get trained. Equipment stays behind.
For many of these young people, it’s the first time anyone has shown them what their future could look like.
Greece has one of Europe’s highest youth unemployment rates. But the problem isn’t a lack of ambition — it’s a lack of access. ODYGO is closing that gap, one school at a time, on the road to reaching 35,000 students across every region of the country.
The Problem
Greece faces a youth employment crisis that is among the worst in Europe:
- 21.4% youth unemployment (Eurostat 2025) — one of Europe’s highest rates
- 26% of youth are NEETs: not in education, employment or training
- EPAL students in remote areas face weak career guidance and poor links to employers
- 84% of companies struggle to attract young skilled talent (ManpowerGroup 2026)
Vocational high school students outside urban centres are particularly underserved — lacking exposure to real-world professions, hands-on training, and the networks needed to transition successfully into work.
Our Solution
ODYGO brings the resources directly to the students. The programme deploys the OdyBox — Odyssea’s custom-built mobile training unit — to EPAL schools in remote and underserved areas, transforming any classroom or outdoor space into a functioning vocational lab for 3 days.
The intervention is structured across all three grades of EPAL:
- 1st Grade — Career Orientation Workshops
- 2nd Grade — Vocational Training Workshops
- 3rd Grade — Employability & Networking
In addition, ODYGO runs Teacher Training Workshops for educators and leaves behind a donated equipment kit tailored to each school’s needs — ensuring lasting impact beyond the mission itself.
Services / Programme Components
- Career Orientation Workshops (1st Grade) — Helping students explore career paths, understand the labour market, and build self-awareness around their skills and interests.
- Vocational Training Workshops (2nd Grade) — Hands-on practical sessions in four training modules:
- STEM & Digital Fabrication (3D printing, CNC, electronics)
- MEP — Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing
- HO.RE.CA. — Hospitality, Cooking, Barista
- Soft & Digital Skills
- Employability & Networking (3rd Grade) — Tools and connections to help students enter the labour market: CV workshops, interview preparation, employer introductions, and entrepreneurship support.
- Equipment Donation & Educational Kit (All Schools) — Custom equipment permanently donated to each school following a pre-arrival needs assessment.
- Teacher Training Workshops (All Schools) — Equipping educators to continue skills-based learning after the mission ends.
Outcomes
Pilot Phase — “Educational Routes” (2024): Supported by John S. Latsis Foundation & NextFab Foundation. Proved the model and demonstrated strong demand across remote EPAL schools.
Expansion — 2025–26 school year:
- 37 Schools Reached
- 5,899 Students Reached
- 97 Teachers Trained
- Expanded to 20 schools across Greece
3-Year National Scale-Up (2025–2027):
- 300 missions planned across all regions of Greece
- 1,800 workshops across all three EPAL grades
- Target: 35,000 students reached
- Scope: All Greece — including remote areas, islands, and underserved communities
