Malta’s Skills Gap: The Clock is Ticking
Skills Gap in Malta: The Clock is Ticking
Imagine this: You’re walking down Republic Street in Valletta, the heart of Malta’s capital, and you notice a ‘Now Hiring’ sign in every other shop window. Yet, many of these shops are struggling to fill these vacancies. Why? Because the skills they need are not the ones being taught or honed today. Welcome to the skills gap, Malta-style.
Malta’s Economy: A Skills Mismatch
Malta’s economy is booming, with tech, finance, and iGaming leading the charge. But with growth comes a skills crunch. According to the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry, around 40% of businesses report difficulty finding the right talent. The skills needed tomorrow – digital literacy, data analysis, AI, machine learning – are not being taught or emphasized enough today.
Take the case of Stevensons, a local tech company. They’re hiring, but finding candidates with the right skills is tough. “We need more people with digital marketing, data analysis, and software development skills,” says CEO Mark Vella. “But we’re not seeing enough of these graduates coming out of our schools and universities.”
Education: Catching Up to the Future
Malta’s education system is evolving, but it’s a slow process. The Ministry of Education is working on integrating more tech and digital skills into the curriculum, but it’s a mammoth task. “We’re trying to prepare students for jobs that don’t exist yet,” says Minister Owen Bonnici. “It’s a challenge, but we’re committed to it.”
Meanwhile, private initiatives like the CodeMalta foundation are stepping in to fill the gap. They teach coding and digital skills to students and adults, but they’re just one drop in the ocean.
Universities are also responding. The University of Malta is expanding its tech and digital courses, but they can’t do it alone. They need industry input to ensure they’re teaching the right skills. “We’re working closely with businesses to understand their needs,” says Vice-Chancellor Ian Gribbin. “But we need more of this collaboration.”
Upskilling: The Key to Unlocking Potential
It’s not just about new graduates. The existing workforce needs to upskill too. According to a World Economic Forum report, 54% of employees in Malta will need reskilling or upskilling by 2025. But only 28% of Maltese employees have participated in formal training in the past year.
Initiatives like the Get Qualified scheme offer financial incentives for upskilling, but awareness and take-up could be better. “We need to change the mindset,” says Malta Enterprise CEO Kurt Farrugia. “Upskilling should be seen as a lifelong pursuit, not a one-off event.”
