Misco briefs guidance teachers on current job market trends
“Students take important decisions which may affect their career. Providing insight of the job market to guidance teachers, who provide students with advice, is crucial” – Misco
Whereas roles in administration, accounting, sales and business development were among the most sought after by employees and employers alike, indications show that future employment growth in Malta over the coming years will be concentrated in business services. A trend of higher education among job seekers will also prevail.
This was some of the data that was delivered to guidance teachers from church schools who recently attended two seminars hosted by Misco on current job market trends.
The aim of these two seminars was to brief teachers on the current situation in the job market and what today’s employers are looking for in prospective employees.
“Guidance teachers have a big responsibility towards the students they are guiding into choosing their career paths and they need to be thoroughly informed of current job trends if their advice is to be reliable. At Misco, we are highly involved in the local job market as we deal with employers on a daily basis. We felt that passing on our acquired knowledge and insight to guidance teachers will help them as they train students for their job search process from an early age,” said a spokesperson for Misco.
The seminars highlighted the importance of students to be prepared when attending interviews; from writing covering letters and good CVs to how best to answer interview questions, how to do the necessary research and portraying the right attitude when looking for a job through online tools, company websites and the social media, especially among the younger generation. During the seminars, Misco also shared some results from a survey on current job trends. Data gathered, showed that on average, employees seek to move from one role to another in less than three years.
“This shows that today, the job market is becoming even more competitive, and that candidates nowadays are eager to become exposed to different cultures and experiences and to progress through their career path,” added Misco.
A very interesting aspect that came out from these seminars is the guidance teachers’ and students’ perception towards MCAST qualifications in relation to University degrees.
“Teachers feel that the choice would entirely depend on the area of interest and courses available. It very much depends on what students wish to study and which paths they want to pursue. University is considered as the option for those who want to follow up subjects like medicine, law or the arts. However, if students want to study IT, beauty, engineering or other specific subjects, MCAST would be the preferred choice.”
“This seminar was an excellent way to create a healthy platform whereby guidance teachers felt free to voice their opinions and experiences while we could in turn provide insight on what employers look out for and what students need to do to be more competitive in today’s job market. We explained that we work closely with a large number of employers and form part of many interviewing boards so we have a live pulse of what is going on. Many young job seekers do not even appreciate the importance of attending interviews in the right attire. It is important that teachers highlight important aspects such as dress code, punctuality and other factors that are vital for that first good impression.”
Teachers also positively mentioned how schools nowadays organise Job Open Days with students. Other schools asked Misco for their help to deliver sessions for their students on CV and interview coaching.
For more information on interviews and CV coaching, on an individual basis as well as for groups, send an email on selection@miscomalta.com