The Malta Union of Teachers today wrote to the principal at the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology to protest that an external call had been made for the post of Institute Director - Engineering and Transport.

In its letter, the union said that the engineering institutes to be merged are both headed by a director and there was the luxury of two directors to choose from.

An internal should have been made, the MUT said. The excuse that this institute would be a new one, because the old institutes would be closed, was unacceptable, the union said.  

This appeared to be a move to remove experienced people to make way for others.

It asked the principal's office to issue an internal call for which incumbents may apply. 

In reply, MCAST said that it is normal practice that calls for application for senior management posts are issued both internally and externally.  All internal applicants are welcome and encouraged to apply for such posts and on many occasions internal applicants are selected for such posts followed an open and transparent selection process.

In the case of the new post of Director of the Institute of Engineering and Transport which has come about through the amalgamation of three institutes, the Principal of MCAST has met with the directors currently running the present institutes, assured them of MCAST’s high regard for their work and committed that they will be retained at Director level within specific roles which are needed at MCAST, irrespective of whether they are selected or not for this new role.  MCAST values the work of all its staff and has made a strong commitment that, through the transformation process which is being proposed for MCAST,  the work of all staff members will be furthered valued and strengthened, the college said.