Adult education is increasingly playing a crucial role in employment, both in helping to increase the employment rate and the quality of work. The latest EU employment strategy is putting much focus on new skills required for present and future jobs. Due to fast changing requirements, ongoing upgrading of skills is necessary, be it in the same job or in the transition to another job.

The recent financial and economic situation has exposed more than ever the vulnerability of jobs. Yet people have a right to work. Work, as enshrined in the Constitution, is the basis our country is built upon. Hence the obligation by governments to create the necessary environment for viable job creation. Much emphasis is being put to adjust and make a transition to jobs as suitable in the labour market. Some other experts say the most important element in a job is the satisfaction it gives to the worker and the quality and quantity of production. Jobs need to be attractive to workers and beneficial also to employers and the country itself.

The labour market requires considerable study and analysis with regards to the new skills to job relationship. More refined and updated skills in relation to the labour market’s study should be a priority of each national government. Another important aspect is that the universities and trade schools should not only provide the necessary courses for the modern labour market requirements, but also incentives to make these courses more attractive as well as partnership with the industry for more on the job training. .

Threats to employment

Two of the main threats in my opinion are: too generous social assistance for the unemployed and insufficient education

One threat to employability is when the social assistance in a country is over generous.

People who never worked or who had stopped from work for a considerable time and are thinking on going back to employment consider whether it would really pay them to do so.

In some countries social benefits offered to the unemployed are too good an incentive for the unemployed to keep staying at home, cool and relaxed, or attempt to work unofficially so that, he /she could still benefit from the social assistance. Considering a work offer, one starts thinking on the new amount of money they would need to pay as tax, with the slight increase in income. Certain things like too generous social assistance can prove to be a disservice both to the individual and to the country itself.

As specified in the Budget for 2009, from next year new schemes will be implemented: “...so that gradually those persons who have been registering as unemployed for more than five years and who are not following training courses while receiving benefits, will carry out community work or help in public works. The idea is that they should work for 30 hours weekly while their social benefits are increased to 75 per cent of the National Minimum Wage.”

We will have to wait and see that such measures are implemented, but much more needs to be done, for example to control undeclared work.

Both the state and the citizens need to be aware of the importance of education, including life long learning.

The worth of employment is not that of just earning money. People need to be educated to understand better the fulfillment and enrichment when one is gainfully employed according to his / her potential.

It has been felt necessary that schools should cater for the different individuals so that every one is educated according to his /her potential. Illiteracy should not be taken lightly when currently 43 per cent of our students leave school officially illiterate. It would be beneficial if the reform in the education system targets those who need more motivation to be able to proceed with their studies. One must reflect also whether State education is really preparing our students for their future roles in the world of work, or are we still stuffing them with matter that they should be able to absorb on their own? Education is the best prevention for unemployment. An educated person is more likely to want to work than not.

Local aspect – Malta

with the lowest female employment rate in Europe

The statistics show that Malta is very way back as regards to the percentage of women in employment. There could be various different reasons including generous social assistance. Another possibility could be that the state is now proposing to create various organisations that will look after children to enable parents to work. But, has this been computed sufficiently? Or will the cost of getting women out to work going to be higher than helping them educate their children as best they can? There seems to be creeping in, a tendency to look upon ‘housewives’ as being all idiots, which is not the case. Some women opt to work at home or do part time work to give their family more attention and this is very noble indeed.

Another reason, contributing to low female participation in employment, could be that women who had retired from work to look after a growing family, would find it hard to return after various years as there would have been introduced many different issues which at times she would be afraid she might not know how to handle. They might be computer illiterate and this also tends to give them fear of the unknown.

The Employment and Training Corporation in Malta has during these last few years organised a number of training initiatives aimed at enticing and assisting women to return the labour market. One such initiative was a training programme entitled the Empowerment skills for women. During the last operational year with the financial backing of ESF funds the ETC also organised a number of traineeships and an Entrepreneurship scheme specifically for women.

Computer literacy required in employment

Computer literacy is now being considered as one of the basic skills required by those in employment and others intending to return to work. The ETC has embarked on a national Information Technology campaign and offered a seven-hour programme free of charge. Eventually, the ETC entered into an agreement with Microsoft and replaced the basic IT Programme with the Microsoft Digital literacy programme. During the last operational year, this training programme was also delivered on one of the local TV stations. ETC, in collaboration with the support of the Information Technology and Investment Ministry set up a Community Technology Learning Centre through which it organises a vast number of training programmes in basic IT and in the use of new technologies.

Many other courses about various skills are organised on a regular basis or as necessary. Incentives together with work related courses are also being offered.

Active ageing is on the agenda of many social welfare organisations, including employment organisations. Even the Unions should fulfil more their duty to educate and not just defend their members’ interests.

Lifelong learning is vital in such plan. Malta should observe more what is being done in other countries as regards Adult Education particularly through pooling of AE Information systems such as Infonet where I actively participate representing Malta as member and correspondent on behalf of the Education Section of Azzjoni Nazzjonali.

Mary Gauci is AN’s

Deputy Leader