Malta College of Arts, Science, and Technology (MCAST) Deputy Principal of Quality Assurance and Student Academic Management Pierre Dalmas has highlighted the “win-win” situation that apprenticeships present to both students and employers.

He was speaking during an apprenticeship onboarding event held by MCAST at its campus in Paola. It aimed to facilitate networking opportunities between prospective apprentices and industry partners.

67 companies registered and attended the event, which managed to generate a significant amount of interest among MCAST students and industry partners, as it enabled prospective employers to meet face-to-face with students following vocational courses containing an apprenticeship component. These companies held recruitment interviews with the students on campus, aimed at providing them with apprenticeship opportunities.

Company representatives were able to present current vacancies and explain their respective company cultures and career growth opportunities on offer to MCAST students, while also conducting several question-and-answer sessions.

Apprenticeships play a pivotal role within the vocational education and training system that MCAST endorses, providing students with an opportunity to gain hands-on industry expertise, providing to be crucial for success in their future careers within diverse industries.

Commenting on this, Ing. Dalmas said that MCAST recognises that “different students learn in different ways”, and this is hence the primary reason as to why apprenticeships are one of the values the college is built upon.

MCAST's apprenticeship onboarding event

“An apprenticeship provides a win-win situation for the student to learn on the job and for the employer to develop a highly skilled workforce,” he added.

He remarked that MCAST’s target is to continue offering such opportunities like the apprenticeship onboarding event to encourage apprentice recruitment.

During the event, MCAST Principal and CEO Joachim James Calleja said that employers often voice concerns about the lack of skill and talent available in the labour market.

“The college is proactive in creating direct access to student apprenticeships,” he continued.

“This apprentice onboarding event is a unique opportunity to offer more than the 350 apprenticeships already pledged to over 1,650 eligible students for work-based learning that will benefit the economy,” Professor Calleja added.

Last year, Professor Calleja called for more employers to “knock on MCAST’s doors” and recruit students as apprentices, as doing so would not only be an investment for learners, but also for employers.

Malta has struggled with a tight labour market over recent years, with workers demanding higher wages, increased flexibility, and other employment benefits. This makes these apprenticeship opportunities more vital, allowing students to get a taste of the industry while also contributing to a company’s performance.

While MCAST has established partnerships with over 2,200 companies, it has also stated that more apprenticeship opportunities are needed. The college reaffirmed its commitment to supporting employers in understanding the value of apprenticeships, how these experiences can be profitable for them in the long run, and how individual apprentices can add value to the business itself.