Twenty-one apprentices who participated in the Technician Apprenticeship Scheme (TAS) to qualify as aircraft maintenance technicians have presented their projects on completion of their apprenticeship programme.

The TAS, as with all apprenticeship schemes, is based on the dual system which involves both on- and off-the-job training. MCAST provided the underpinning knowledge while five employers provided the apprentices with on-the-job training. These were Lufthansa Technik Malta, Air Malta, Aeromaritime, Medavia, and the Armed Forces of Malta.

The introduction of the Aircraft Maintenance Technician calling has served as a platform to introduce changes in the apprenticeship system, such as the block release system, which allows apprentices to spend longer periods of training on-the-job. The first apprenticeship steering committee was set up – including employers, ETC and MCAST – to follow the apprentices’ progress in a collective and holistic manner. This proved to be so successful that more steering committees were subsequently set up for other apprenticeship callings.

The Trade Testing Board (made up of representatives from the industry, the Department of Civil Aviation and ETC, to assess trainees) worked together and developed an improved tool to record the on-the-job training. Employers released their more experienced staff to lecture at MCAST, and all the employers involved are going to further assist their apprentices to obtain the necessary licences related to the aviation industry.

There are about 800 young people following an apprenticeship with over 400 companies in Malta and Gozo. The corporation’s data show that over 95 per cent of apprentices who have successfully concluded their training are in full-time employment.

Further information on apprenticeships is available by contacting the Apprenticeship Section of the corporation on tel. 2220 1303 / 11 or by e-mail at [email protected].