Details about the IT student placement programme for this summer were given yesterday by Investment, Industry and IT Minister Austin Gatt at an event at which certificates were presented to those who took part in last year’s programme.

Dr Gatt said the programme was important because it provided students with experience in the industry. For the past two years, thanks to this initiative, over 150 students following full-time ICT-related courses at the University of Malta and MCAST were assigned a temporary ICT job placement during their summer academic recess. These placements were offered by public and private organisations that chose to participate in the programme. Students were engaged on a full-time basis, for a period of 8 to 10 weeks between July and September.

Dr Gatt referred to the positive feedback from both students and companies, with the latter being able to satisfy their temporary human resources requirements and the students being given work related to their studies.

This year, the programme will again offer job placements to students following full-time ICT-related courses at the university and MCAST, where they will gain first-hand work experience as part of their academic studies.

Dr Gatt said the government was again inviting companies to be part of this programme this year by offering ICT-related placements.

Companies that are interested in offering such placements between July and September can register on the ministry’s website http://www.miti.gov. mt/site/page.aspx?pageid=2681 by 8 June.

To date, there are already over 130 placements available for the students.