The Employment and Training Corporation has just re-launched the Job Experience Scheme (JES). JES is a scheme specifically designed for young people entering the labour market without any work experience (or with only minimal experience in their chosen occupation).

Through this scheme, ETC aims to increase participants' work experience and to boost their self-confidence and self-esteem, with a view to preventing long-term unemployment among these individuals. Apart from improving participants' employability, this scheme also facilitates their transition from school to work, by providing their first exposure to the world of work and assisting them in their integration into the labour market.

A JES participant goes through a combination of in-house training and on-the-job work experience with a local employer. A placement can be of a maximum of 13 consecutive weeks based on a 20-hour week. The ETC provides a grant of Lm20 (e46.59) per week to the JES participant for the duration of the scheme.

The employer does not incur financial costs during the scheme. However, all efforts should be made to ensure that the placement is in fact a learning experience and that health and safety requirements are observed at all times. JES participants are to be covered by the organisation's insurance policy.

ETC staff will regularly monitor participants on the scheme and will hold periodic visits to the actual place of work. Any organisation may apply for JES participants. However, in the case of high demand, preference will be given to employers who offer prospects for eventual employment, and to those who provide a suitable training programme for prospective participants.

The speakers in the launch included Raphael Scerri, Senior Manager at ETC, and Michel Mifsud, the scheme coordinator. They explained how the scheme will operate and what other services are offered by ETC to employers.

Peter Calamatta, from the Environmental Landscape Consortium (ELC) spoke about the positive experience of ELC with clients from the ETC who were engaged with the consortium and are still working there to this day. He encouraged other companies to do the same.

Norman Grech, Head of the Youth Section at the Education Ministry emphasised the importance of lifelong learning in today's world

Interested organisations are encouraged to contact the Schemes Coordinator at ETC for more information. The Coordinator can be reached at [email protected] or by phone on 2220-1225.

This scheme is partly funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) of the European Union.