The Employment and Training Corporation has found employment for over 4,500 unemployed persons, and has trained more than 8,000 workers between October 2004 and September this year. About 750 participated in various employment schemes, among which is TEES (Training and Employment Exposure Scheme) for the over 40s.

Ninety-three per cent of those over 40 who joined the TEES scheme were long- term unemployed (more than one year), and nine per cent were very long-term unemployed (more than five years).

The above figures are remarkable.

Older workers, employed or unemployed, have many good qualities that should be appreciated by employers. Among these we find experience, maturity, responsibility, loyalty, continuity, expertise, training, investment, dedication, discipline, acceptance of authority, managerial ability, less sporadic leave off work, adaptability and better customer care especially in the retail trade.

Employers who have older workers should do everything possible to keep them. Those requiring more workers should recruit from those taking part in the new ETC intake of TEES (over 40s) that occurs in January and make the best of the above qualities for the benefit of their enterprise. They should create the right work environment and be ready to be flexible enough to accommodate their needs for mutual benefits. The ETC pays the wage for a whole year.

The working population is becoming older. Births are decreasing, workers are living longer and youths are joining the labour market later, due to a longer educational and vocational preparation.

ETC unemployment statistics (June) reveal that 40 per cent (2,516 out of 6,218) of those registering on part 1 of the unemployment register are over 40 years of age. This means a mine of experience together with a huge investment in their training done in the past. With the proper retraining, in-house and during unemployment, they could be fruitfully utilised by wise employers.

Some of these unemployed over 40s find it very difficult to re-employ themselves for various reasons particularly when the economic situation is not that rosy. They suffer from age discrimination. However, with understanding and flexibility from both the employers and the employees alike, these difficulties could be overcome for mutual benefits.

Malta’s Public Employment Service (ETC) is doing its utmost to help in these matters and has created assistance schemes, such as the TEES (over 40s). As of January the full wage is paid by ETC during a one-year scheme of training and work exposure for 170 new recruits, funded by the EU ESF; ETPS-Employment Training Placement Scheme for the long-term unemployed (half the national minimum wage is paid by ETC during the training and probation period up to a year); INT-Iftah Negozju Tieghek - (as of this October – a training and financial grant will be given to prospective entrepreneurs); Bridging the Gap – to help unemployed including ex-convicts and ex-substance abusers – (an allowance is given); Supported Employment Scheme to help the disabled find employment – this scheme is funded by the EU ESF; Redeployment Scheme – a 50 per cent subsidy during retraining for redeployment; Work Start Scheme – To help adult jobseekers inactive for more than five years.

ETC also launches regular campaigns in favour of disadvantaged groups such as the over 40s who are unemployed, aimed at selling to employers the good qualities of these people; that on the importance of life-long learning; and that on gender equality issues, are just a few examples of such helpful campaigns.

ETC regularly organises other activities like basic and advanced training and retraining courses; educational, job search and motivational seminars and meetings; job clubs; all to help, counsel and guide the older unemployed raise their employability and find employment.

ETC schemes offer very attractive financial assistance together with employment services to employers to encourage them to employ the older workers.

ETC’s new website www.etc.gov.mt offers a mine of information to the employers re workers available for employment together with their CV and to the unemployed re job vacancies. One may also phone Mr Paul Borg, Employment Services Division, ETC Hal Far, on 2220-1219 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.

Mr Mifsud is the

officer-in-charge – Programme Over 40s at

the Employment and Training Corporation