For the ninth time, MITA is running its Student Placement Programme to give ICT students an opportunity for a hands-on work experience during their summer holidays.
Speaking during an activity organised for students, Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation Silvio Schembri announced that this year 329 students are being provided with a work opportunity with the government or private sector entities.
Parliamentary Secretary Schembri said that this programme was part of the government's strategy to encourage more students to join the ICT industry by giving them a hands-on remunerated work experience.
The Parliamentary Secretary added that around 95 public and private sector entities were participating in this programme, with employers from the private sector benefitting from a reimbursement of 50% of the students' salary costs, whilst employers from the public sector/service and NGOs will be reimbursed 100% of the students' salary costs.
Silvio Schembri said that although statistics showed that Malta had the highest rate of ICT graduates in the EU, for him this was not enough, and insisted that the government would work further to encourage more students to start a career in the ICT industry.
"I encourage you to make the best out of the work opportunities given to you during your summer holidays, and to pursue your studies in order to specialise in various sectors of the ICT industry. Malta needs you, so that with your expertise and skills we can continue to achieve success in our ever-growing digital economy", said Parliamentary Secretary Schembri.
MITA Chairman Tony Sultana intervened by wishing a rich work experience to every student, where they will be provided with a maximum of 330 hours of remunerated work during a period of 11 weeks. Sultana added that students will be working around 30 hours per week during this placement programme organised by MITA to encourage more students to join the ICT industry. He concluded by emphasising the need for more efforts to be made to attract more female students to pursue a career in ICT.