The creation of more and better jobs is the best way of showing solidarity, as both economic and social success revolve around the creation of work.

Employment has always been given top priority on the Government’s agenda and significant achievements have been registered in this sector. Nevertheless, to quote the Prime Minister’s repeated phrase, “even if there is only one person still looking for work, we will not be satisfied, despite the overall success”.

The latest figures published by the National Statistics Office show that 147,134 people are gainfully employed, an increase of 2,953 on last year’s figure. There are also 51,317 part-time workers, which is another increase of 2,825 on 2010. Concurrent figures published by Eurostat on 31 May regarding unemployment in April show that there is 6.2 per cent unemployment in Malta, and only Holland, Germany, Austria and Luxembourg have fewer people on the dole. After experiencing the worst recession in 80 years, the encouraging news is that unemployment in Europe is falling, although the situation in Spain, where there is 20 per cent unemployment, remains alarming.

A look at the situation for the under-25-years-olds who are still looking for a job in the EU shows an average of 20.3 per cent in the EU as a whole and 19.6 per cent in the eurozone. Again, it is Holland (6.9 per cent), Germany (7.8 per cent) and Austria (8.7 per cent) who have the lowest numbers. Malta, with 10.8 per cent of its youth unemployed, is the fourth lowest among the 27 member states.

Recently, Parliament discussed the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) estimates. Undoubtedly, the ETC is a success story and it is pertinent to pay tribute to the previous Nationalist Government for creating this entity 20 years ago. Special credit must go to Dr Louis Galea, then Social Development Minister and architect of this successful corporation, among numerous other revolutionary achievements that are evidence of his vision.

The ETC has helped in the placement of tens of thousands in the work force and has established new training schemes and employability programmes, apart from cushioning the effect of the global economic crunch that has hit many other European countries so hard. The results achieved are thanks to the Government’s initiatives and its pro-active endeavours. The government, in collaboration with the ETC and the social partners, together with Malta Enterprise, created schemes to attract local and foreign investments.

One would do well to mention that, during the 2008-2010 period, 27,656 people received training from ETC programmes and 13,765 are now gainfully employed. Last year, the ETC trained 3,573 in the Youth Employment programme and provided services for 2,350 youngsters. The ETC structures guarantee the individual’s employability but not employment. Better trained workers attract industries with high value added and this leads to better wages and an improved environment for workers. This can easily be seen through such investments from big companies in financial services, information technology and pharmaceuticals.

An EU study predicts that the economic crisis will pass and there will be 700,000 new jobs in the EU by 2015, but the same study highlights the challenges ahead, including whether there will be enough qualified and skilled workers to fill these jobs. Governments have to facilitate the acquisition of the new skills that are required for new and better jobs. Conversely, our workforce has to strive to update its skills and future employability.

The above-mentioned EU study states that 85 per cent of skilled workers have a better chance of obtaining a job and progressing in their careers compared to only 50 per cent of those who are unskilled. The key to success is education, and no wonder the government invests heavily in this sector: from early childhood learning to tertiary education, it is there for free.

The government’s success in job creation seems to have made some people ignore the turmoil being experienced all around us, and the fact that there are 23 million people unemployed in the EU, but rest assured that our country’s success with employment has not been achieved by coincidence.