Summary

The state vocational training school SAEK Chania has received approval to open a new "Agritourism Technician" course at its Apokoronas branch, starting in the 2026–2027 academic year. The course is free and open to graduates of any type of secondary school, offering career pathways into agritourism businesses, hotels, farming cooperatives, and rural development organisations. Applications open in early September through the Ministry of Education's online platform at diek.it.minedu.gov.gr.

Free Agritourism Course Coming to Apokoronas This Autumn

Residents of Apokoronas now have a new free vocational training option on their doorstep. The state training school SAEK Chania has been given the green light to launch a new "Agritourism Technician" qualification at its local Apokoronas branch for the 2026–2027 academic year — and applications open in September.

What is an Agritourism Technician?

The course trains students to work at the crossroads of farming and tourism — a combination perfectly suited to Apokoronas. Graduates will be equipped to promote local produce, guide visitors through agricultural experiences, organise rural activities, and support businesses that showcase the area's food heritage, landscapes, and culture. It is a qualification built around what makes this corner of Crete genuinely special.

Who Can Apply?

Anyone who has completed secondary school — regardless of the type of school attended — is eligible to apply. The course is completely free. Classes take place at the Old Town Hall building in Kavros, Apokoronas, meaning there is no need to travel to Chania.

Where Can Graduates Work?

The qualification opens doors across a wide range of sectors:

Public and private bodies in tourism and agriculture

Agritourism businesses and hotels

Farming cooperatives

Companies processing and selling agricultural products, and producers of traditional crafts

Outdoor activity and rural experience providers

Restaurants and catering operations

Farms and rural craft workshops

Regional development agencies focused on agritourism, local growth, and cultural promotion

What Is Already Running at the Apokoronas Branch?

The Apokoronas branch is not new — it already runs two established courses that are continuing into their third semester: the Chef and Culinary Arts course, and the IT Applications Technician course (covering Multimedia, Web Design/Development, and Video Games). The new Agritourism Technician course joins these as the third offering.

IT-track students from certain vocational school (EPAL) backgrounds can also apply to join the IT Applications course directly at the third-semester level.

Key Dates and Practical Details

Academic year: 2026–2027

Applications open: early September 2026

Application platform: diek.it.minedu.gov.gr

Third-semester IT enrolment window: September 1–30, 2026

Tuition fees: free

Entry requirement: completion of any type of secondary school

Classroom location: Old Town Hall (Palio Dimarcheio), Kavros, Apokoronas

How to Apply

Applications are submitted through the Ministry of Education's electronic platform: diek.it.minedu.gov.gr. Full details on the application process for 2026–2027 will be announced by SAEK Chania in the coming weeks.

Contact Information

SAEK Chania (Main Campus) Akrotiri General Lyceum School Complex, Profitis Ilias, Akrotiri, Chania 73100 Phone: 28210 59855 or 28210 20115 Email: [email protected]

Apokoronas Branch Old Town Hall, Kavros, Apokoronas Phone: 28250 61460 Email: [email protected]

SAEK CHANIA – APOKORONAS BRANCH – New Specialisation "Agritourism Technician" in Apokoronas

August 11, 2026, 7:49 AM

The General Secretariat for Vocational Education, Training and Lifelong Learning has announced the specialisations that will operate at the Public Schools of Higher Vocational Training (S.A.E.K.) under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports for the academic year 2026–2027.

The operation of the new specialisation "Agritourism Technician" has been approved at the off-campus Apokoronas branch of S.A.E.K. Chania, further strengthening the capacity to provide quality public vocational training in the area.

📌 Applications – Enrolments

📅 Selection applications and enrolments will be submitted from the beginning of September, via the electronic platform:

https://diek.it.minedu.gov.gr

🎓 Possibility of enrolment for graduates of all types of secondary schools.

🆓 Attendance is free of charge.

🌱 Agritourism – Connecting the Primary Sector with Tourism

Agritourism is a modern special form of rural tourism, which connects hospitality and catering with agricultural production, local gastronomy, cultural heritage and the protection of the natural environment. The new specialisation responds to the developmental needs of Apokoronas and aims to train professionals who will contribute to connecting the primary sector with tourism, making use of the distinctive characteristics of the area.

💼 Graduates of the specialisation will have the opportunity to be employed:

🏛️ in public and private sector bodies,

🏡 in agritourism and hotel businesses,

🤝 in agricultural cooperatives,

🫒 in businesses processing and selling agricultural products and producing folk art products,

🌳 in bodies organising outdoor activities,

🍽️ in catering units,

🚜 in agricultural units and agro-craft workshops,

📈 in development companies and organisations active in the fields of agritourism, local development and cultural promotion.

S.A.E.K. Chania continues to invest in quality public vocational training and in the decentralisation of educational opportunities, offering modern specialisations that respond to the needs of the labour market and local society.

📚 In addition, the following specialisations continue to operate in Semester III:

👨‍🍳 Culinary Arts Technician – Head Chef (Chef) and

💻 IT Applications Technician (Multimedia / Web Designer – Developer / Video Games),

confirming the dynamism and steady development of the off-campus Apokoronas branch.

📝 ENROLMENTS IN SEMESTER III

From September 1 to 30, graduates of EPALs in the following specialisations:

💻 Computer Programmers

💻 Software Applications Technician

💻 IT Applications Technician

💻 Computer and Computer Networks Technician

💻 Support of Computer Systems, Applications and Networks

have the opportunity to submit an application and enrol in the third (III) semester of the IT Applications Technician specialisation at the Apokoronas branch.

📍 Classroom Location

Classes for all specialisations of the off-campus Apokoronas branch take place in the modern facilities of the old Town Hall in Kavros, Apokoronas.

Further information regarding enrolments and the application submission process for the academic year 2026–2027 will be announced shortly by S.A.E.K. Chania.

☎️ Contact Information

S.A.E.K. Chania 📍 School Complex of the General Lyceum of Akrotiri – P.EPALs Profitis Ilias Akrotiriou, Chania, Postal Code 73100 📞 Telephone: 28210 59855, 28210 20115 ✉️ Email: [email protected]

Apokoronas Branch – SAEK Chania 📍 Kavros Apokoronas – Old Town Hall Building 📞 Telephone: 28250 61460 ✉️ Email: [email protected]

Yours faithfully, Public S.A.E.K. Chania