The Malta Chamber’s Economic Vision is based on four pillars: digitalisation, good governance, sustainability and last but not least Human Capital. In recent years, The Chamber has submitted various proposals that promote and empower the workforce because we believe that a business can only grow if its workforce does too. When approached by MCAST to join the GIVE Project, The Chamber jumped at the opportunity to promote inclusivity in vocational training by supporting MCAST in adjusting their courses to suit the modern needs of the workforce.
“This project is an excellent opportunity for The Malta Chamber to help make a difference. We will be providing feedback based on the perspective of the different business sectors and continue to help bridge the gap between MCAST and the business community,” says Julia Aquilina, Policy Development Executive at The Malta Chamber.
During the past months, several initiatives were undertaken to support and link vocational training at MCAST to the business community. One such example was the promotion of carpentry and joinery programmes. The sector has been facing a massive shortage of skilled workers and both entities agreed to collaborate in a structured way to give the sector the boost it needs towards attracting newer generations, help rejuvenate it and keep it highly competitive.
Furthermore, a colloquium was held to discuss the skills required in the next couple of years. The forum titled Foresight 2030: Resetting Education and Skills in a post-COVID period aimed to stir a pro-active discussion on anticipating the skills for the future to ensure a thriving industry with a highly skilled workforce. “To bridge the gap between education and the industry we need to prioritise and emphasise the experience of the student. This should be done by encouraging more placements that will give students a more practical experience,” says Ms Aquilina.
