The skills card is an initiative that was “needed” in the tourism sector, yet the way it is being proposed leaves room for improvement, Bernard Muscat, General Manager (GM) at the Malta Bartending Academy has told WhosWho.mt.
The measure, first announced back in October, aims to address the skills shortage present among workers in Malta’s hospitality and tourism industries. It requires individuals to go through a number of training sessions and assessments, including a mandatory course in English, a course on Malta’s tourism product, and another on basic customer service, as well as one on the necessary skills based on the area chosen by the person, such as bar, front office, restaurant or kitchen. It will first be applied to third country nationals (TCNs) who do not currently work in Malta, with a view to extending it to employed foreign workers and also locals in the following months.
While it was set to be rolled out last January, Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Clayton Bartolo in December announced that it would be pushed back to the end of March 2024 after discussions with industry stakeholders. More details about the reform are set to be provided at the start of that month.
With the measure set to come into effect soon, WhosWho.mt reached out to Mr Muscat on World Bartender Day (24th February) to see what impact the skills card will have on the bartending profession, especially given the rapid expansion of Malta’s hospitality industry.
Mr Muscat said that over recent years, there has been an increase in demand for bartenders, in line with other jobs in the tourism sector as the hospitality industry continues to grow.
The Malta Bartending Academy is an educational institution that offers courses on mixology, professional bartending, as well as wine tasting, aimed at training individuals who are looking to work in the hospitality industry. Mr Muscat leads the institution, and offers courses together with four other experienced instructors.
“Due to COVID-19 we lost a steady number of good bartenders, some of whom had attended our courses between 2016 and 2020, but now there is an increased interest from countries such as Nepal, Singapore, India, and the Philippines,” he explained.
Mr Muscat said that this has prompted the academy to create a specialised course for international students to prepare them for the sector. However, he also remarked that there have been challenges when it comes to receiving their visas, particularly since Identità, the Government agency tasked with handling such matters, changed some of its policies.
He stated that as more restaurants and hotels are opening, the hospitality industry will face more challenges in the future in terms of a supply of bartenders.
In a recent survey conducted by Deloitte Malta, commissioned by the Malta Hotels & Restaurants Association (MHRA), it was revealed that tourist arrivals for the final quarter of 2023 reached 762,000, surpassing the figure reached in the same period in 2019 by around 218,000. As Malta’s five- and four-star hotels struggled to reach 2019’s occupancy levels, payroll costs, fuelled by labour shortages, experienced sharp increases.
“Statistically, there is a turnover in hospitality of 75 per cent, and some these are bartenders as well. Some employers are also hesitant to send their staff for a certain educational course since they might end up leaving once they finish it,” Mr Muscat said. He also pointed out that since Malta Bartending Academy’s courses are accredited, they are valid in the EU, and hence some individuals may end up leaving Malta to pursue careers elsewhere.
When asked whether he agrees with the skills card and if this will have a positive effect on the supply of bartenders in Malta, Mr Muscat said that he is on board with the decision, however, there are some areas of concern, particularly in terms of the format chosen and the timeframes to introduce it.
“However, considering the importance of the tourism sector, this was definitely needed,” he said.
Mr Muscat noted that the main concern surrounds those Malta Bartending Academy students who have already obtained their certification and are working in the industry. “We feel that since our courses are accredited by the same Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) that will oversee the skills card courses, then they should also be recognised,” he stated.
As previously mentioned, while the measure will first target prospective workers, it will then apply to foreign workers already employed in the local tourism sector, before being extended to EU and local workers.
“We also have tutors who have represented Malta in international cocktail competitions, have been teaching bartending for a number of years and are still working in the industry. Will these be required to do any tests?” he questioned.
Mr Muscat also asked why the tests are being written and administered by the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) and not by any other educational institution, “especially when one considers that the students are paying for them.”
The cost for these assessments will come in at €450, while the prospective workers will also need to sit for another examination once they arrive in Malta, costing €125. Those who fail the practical test will have their work permit revoked and will be repatriated.
Mr Muscat said that in terms of the impact on the supply of bartenders more specifically, he remarked that we are presently still in the “quiet months for catering,” and some hotels would already be recruiting staff in preparation for the peak months. “Come May onwards, I think that the skills card will affect the industry if visas are not being issued for some reason or another,” he added.
Main Image:
