Youth employment in Malta was discussed during a seminar by the Employment and Training Corporation. The seminar is part of the ongoing process in the formulation of an action plan for youth employment in Malta.

The seminar was co-funded by the Embassy of Holland in Malta.

Carla Kariembaks, from the Dutch Task Force on Youth Unemployment, gave an overview on the steps taken in Holland to combat and prevent youth unemployment. She said that since the beginning of the initiative, 14,000 extra youth jobs were created. The Task Force forecast the creation of 15,000 new jobs this year.

Dr Suzanne Gatt spoke on the school to work transition and on the result of an ETC research on how youths experience the school to work transition. The research has shown that most unemployed youths do not have enough qualifications and that most of the youths registering for work have a low level of education. Many also had low levels of competence in the English language and no formal qualifications.

The research has also shown that employers identified positive qualities in youths – the main being personality aspects, employability aspects and potential for professional development.

Albert Ellul, ETC senior executive, gave an overview of the various ETC’s schemes directed at youths. These include the Job Experience Scheme, the Job Clubs and the Job Seeker Direct.