Investing in tomorrow’s workforce

Do you already employ or wish to invest in ICT students? If you have missed the chance to benefit from the Student Placement Programme (SPP) for these last nine years, the 10th year of SPP might be your lucky year.

The Student Placement Programme is a mutually beneficial programme for ICT students and employers from all sectors. The programme places students in temporary jobs during the three months of summer, and the placements are spread over 11 weeks based on 30 hours per week. Last year, the initiative placed over 330 students from over 500 valid applicants, across more than 90 organisations from the private sector, public sector and NGOs.

While this initiative serves as a meaningful working experience to the students, in return it helps to inject their creativity and fresh ideas to the work environment.

This year, MITA moved away from the traditional slots and opened the calls for application for both employers and students simultaneously. Following closure of the application stage, MITA will attempt to match potential candidates based upon the requirements each employer has listed in the application form. Employers are then provided with a list of students matching their specific requirements for their consideration. It is the employers who conduct the interview process within a stipulated timeframe, ultimately ensuring the selection of the best resource to best fit their needs.

Students eligible to participate need to be studying ICT or related subjects. The minimum entry level is for students that have completed the 2nd year of 6th Form (and awaiting examination results), as well as those students who have completed their 2nd year Diploma (and awaiting examination results). In both cases, students are requested to obtain written confirmation of this from their respective educational institutions. In addition, students studying at the University of Malta, MCAST, and various private institutions are also eligible, subject to studying ICT or related subjects.

Eligibility is mainly granted to those students studying at the University of Malta, MCAST, Sixth Form and various private institutions which cater for the aforementioned area of studies.

SPP does not only grant the employer the opportunity for temporary summer student placements but more sustainably, the chance of evaluating the students’ skills and offer them long-term employment in the future.

Following the end of the placement, aside from investing in future workforce, the private sector is reimbursed 50% of the students’ salary costs. Organisations from the Public sector and NGOs will be reimbursed 100% of the students’ salary costs. MITA will reimburse a maximum of 330 hours per student and payments are processed by the end of the year.

Like previous years of SPP, employers have the possibility to put forward their request for pre-allocations through spp.mita@gov.mt. It is important to note that employers who already employ ICT students can benefit from this initiative. However, MITA must also receive an application from the students to approve of the preallocation. Upon registration of both, employers are advised to send an email to the SPP mailbox with the details of the students, as pre-allocations run on first come first served basis. Applications and pre-allocations will be accepted until 6th April by noon.

Still hesitant whether to give your organisation and future workforce a chance? Visit MITA’s website http://www.mita.gov.mt/spp for more information or contact Ms Jacquie Cremona Crossey on 2599 2474 or Ms Andrea Mallia on 2599 2514 or Ms Adelaide Grixti on 2599 2015.

Back in my University days, I always found it a bit challenging to grasp the connection between what was being lectured and the application of the latter within the industry. After 13 years of work experience, it is safe to say that everything I learned was applied repeatedly, either directly or through various team interactions.

In hindsight, I believe that such a challenge emanated from the rather limited exposure to the industry during my studies and I was thus not able to appreciate the importance of the various terms and practices presented during lectures.

It was this experience that spurred the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) to organise such events for University of Malta and MCAST students. Each event starts with students being welcomed at the MITA Data Centre Reception. Upon registration, a plenary session is conducted by the MITA Digital Outreach team with all the students, providing them