An investment totalling €252,000 was today announced by MITA in a strategic academic alliance with the Faculty of ICT of the University of Malta for the benefit of the students following ICT courses. Hon. Austin Gatt, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Communications announced that this investment is going to fund new curriculum for the ICT degrees and finance a series of activities which will see ICT employers more present on Campus with students.

The announcement was made today at the MITA Stand at Freshers’ Week jointly with Matthew Gatt, CEO MITA, and Profs Juanito Camilleri, Rector of the University of Malta. Minister Gatt said that, “this investment is further proof that this Government strongly believes in the capabilities of its human resources and in the potential of the local ICT industry to further prosper into new business if the necessary competences are available. These funds will enable our students – who are the future workforce of our country – to graduate with the skills-set required by the ICT industry. This will mean that these new ICT graduates will hit the ground running faster and therefore their productive contribution to the business of their ICT employer will be stronger.”

The ICT degrees portfolio of the Faculty for ICT is going to be enriched with new study-units and materials so as to better address the needs of the ICT industry. These new study-units are going to be created by experts in the field to ensure that these include top-notch knowledge and the latest industry-related topics in the learning experience for students studying their ICT degree. These new materials will be available in October 2012 and the work to contract these experts will be initiated following today’s signing of the agreement between MITA and the University of Malta. Through these new study-units, the Faculty will also be able to offer new degrees or short courses.

Matthew Gatt announced the details of the agreement and the joint activities and stated that, “today’s announcement is another important milestone for the eSkills Alliance, which has championed the process leading up to today throughout the past 12 months. A lot of goodwill and synergy by the industry and the Faculty has been invested. The curricular process will evolve to reflect the ICT best practice in the national and international ICT industry. Added engagement of the ICT industry in Campus matters is also being addressed. That means that further synergies are going to take place over the coming year for a closer collaboration between the University and industry for the benefit of the students and their future.”

The eSkills Alliance, which was launched in October 2010, has, jointly with the Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry and the Faculty for ICT conducted various workshops over the past months to analyse the skills requirements and the current employability potential of ICT graduates. The areas of improvement have been identified, and the financing made available through MITA will target these areas. A set of joint activities are also being co-ordinated by the eSkills Alliance with the help of ICT employers and the Faculty, to strengthen the industry’s presence on Campus. These activities will improve the student’s learning experience with contact with ICT employers, a closer understanding of the application of technology in and for business, and an element of industry mentorship for the students in their degree projects.

Professor Camilleri welcomed the closer collaboration between the University and the ICT industry facilitated by the eSkills Alliance. “Although it is important to ensure that graduates master fundamental and underlying principles, it is equally crucial that graduates are exposed to emerging trends and technologies and gain an insight into the current challenges being tackled by the emerging global ICT industry.” The discussion taking place within the eSkills Alliance is addressing current needs, but, is also keeping an eye on the future. The agreement signed with MITA will augment the investment already committed by the University to ensure that our ICT graduates are world-class, added Professor Camilleri.

Following the press conference, the eSkills Alliance facilitated a debate between the Chamber of Commerce, MITA, the Faculty and students on ICT skills and employability in the ICT industry. The students questioned the industry representatives on the key skills mostly sought by employers and the future niches and trends which are set to influence the ICT industry. Key points that arose were that the employability profile which the industry requires includes an academic or vocational qualification depending on the role and the area of business; secondly, certifications which are of importance to the industry (such as those offered by Microsoft, Cisco, Linux, Oracle, EMC, and others) which add value to the formal qualification; and thirdly, a good grasp of the soft skills. Another important aspect which was discussed was that the public sector is also hungry for individuals who can project-manage the implementation of key technologies across the public services, including health, education and other eGovernment areas.

Freshers Week, organised by the Students University Council (KSU) continues till Friday 7th October. MITA’s stand features the daily presence of key ICT companies and professionals who are available to meet students and discuss ICT career prospects and requirements.

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