The Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology (MCAST) held the 'MCAST Apprentice Onboarding Event' on campus in Paola. The event aimed to facilitate networking opportunities between prospective apprentices and Industry Partners.
A total of 67 companies registered and attended the event, which generated huge interest among MCAST students and Industry Partners. This initiative enabled prospective employers to meet face- to-face at MCAST students currently following vocational courses that include an apprenticeship component and hold recruitment interviews with them on Campus aimed to provide them with apprenticeship opportunities.
Company representatives were able to present current vacancies and explain their respective company cultures and career growth opportunities on offer to MCAST students. Several question- and-answer sessions between employers and students were held.
Apprenticeships play a pivotal role within the vocational education and training system that MCAST endorses, providing students with an opportunity to gain hands-on industry expertise crucial for success in their future careers within diverse industries.
Principal and CEO Professor Joachim James Calleja stated, "Employers often voice concerns about lack of skill and talent in the labour market. The College is proactive in creating direct access to student apprenticeships. This apprentice onboarding event is a unique opportunity to offer more than the 350 apprenticeships already pledged to over 1,650 eligible students for work-based learning that will benefit the economy.".
During the event, Deputy Principal of Quality Assurance and Student Academic Management Ing. Pierre Dalmas said, "MCAST recognises that different students learn in different ways, and this is why apprenticeships are one of the values the College is built upon. An apprenticeship provides a win-win situation for the student to learn on the job and for the employer to develop a highly
skilled workforce. Our target is to continue offering such opportunities for apprentice recruitment."
Currently, MCAST has established partnerships with over 2,200 companies, but more apprenticeship opportunities are needed. The College remains committed to supporting employers in understanding the value of apprenticeships, how such an experience can be truly profitable for their respective companies in the long run, and how individual apprentices can add value to the business itself.