Since 2005, the Ministry for Investment, Industry and IT (MIIIT), in partnership with the private sector, has enabled ICT students to gain experience in the industry. To date, circa 287 ICT students following a full-time course at MCAST and the University of Malta benefited from the Student Job Placement Programme, working hands-on in carrying out ICT-related roles and responsibilities with public and private sector entities during the academic recess.
Participation in this placement programme sharpens skills and gives more exposure to ICT students. This programme is also a unique opportunity for the private sector to match temporary needs for personnel during the summer period. Furthermore, this programme enables enterprises to headhunt students who may become prospective employees. Hence, long-term hiring decisions can be based on performance rather than foresight based on student CV and exam results.
The Student Job Placement Programme has been possible year after year with the support of the government’s Vertical Strategic Alliances, as well as local companies, including EnterpriseSAP, RSM Malta, Oracle Malta , GO, Playmobil Malta Ltd, HOB Software Ltd, Deloitte & Touche, Datatrak Ltd, Projects in Motion Ltd, Forestals, BOV, APS Bank, S&T Malta Ltd, SG Solutions Ltd, MalliaSare & Co., Atlas Insurance PCC Ltd, Alert Communications, MRAE, Megabyte Ltd, Advanced Business Solutions Ltd, STC, Data Byte, Computer Domain Ltd, MUS, Board of Studies, CSAI, Computime, C.C. Training Services, St Martin’s Institute and Future Focus.
As a continuous improvement to offer job opportunities to ICT students through the vertical strategic alliance signed with MIIIT, IBM offered high-performing Information Technology, Computer Studies and Business Administration graduates the opportunity of working abroad in Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Israel for six to 12 month periods. Four internships were offered in Rome, 10 in Spain and Switzerland, and three internships with the IBM Haifa Research Lab in Israel.
As part of the Smart Island Strategy, the ICT Strategy for Malta for 2008-2010, the Ministry will sustain the Student Job Placement Programme and increase the opportunities of foreign internships with major ICT players for university and MCAST ICT students. It is the Ministry’s objective to increase substantially the amount of student placements to 500 per annum over the next three years. Since demand will always outweigh availability of placements, it insists on private companies to be more proactive and partner with the Ministry to offer such placements to students. Simultaneously to this initiative the Ministry shall also bring together the industry with the ICT Faculty at university to engage post-graduate students to carry out industry-based applied research activity.