The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) has recently launched its annual campaign to encourage the over-40s to embark on further training to improve their employability.

People in this age group tend to find it harder than others to find employment, usually as a result of low skills and a lack of training. This was one of the priority areas identified in Malta’s National Action Plan for Employment of 2004, on which the ETC, together with the Education, Youth and Employment Ministry, have worked hard to achieve results.

In 2004, there were over 3,155 people over the age of 40 registering for work. This figure had fallen to 2,677 by the end of September 2006, which suggests a growing confidence on the part of employers in the qualities that those over 40 bring to their work – a message that the ETC has vigorously promoted for some time.

Over the past years, the corporation has invested heavily in this particular client group. Lm2 million was directly invested in the Training Employment Exposure Scheme, through which 460 people aged 40 and over were trained in various fields and participated in work experience for a number of months. Sixty five per cent of these participants are now in employment.

The corporation also offers a wide range of courses. The training programmes offered by the ETC are all free of charge for those registering for employment and at present the corporation is offering 89 courses for 737 adults.

The present campaign is making use of public transport advertising, as well as press and radio advertisements.

Anyone who would like to obtain more information about the ETC Over 40s Programme are asked to send an email to employment@ etc.org.mt