Employment and employability : stakeholders and their responsibilities

Abstract

Societies spend huge amounts of money towards compulsory education. Vocational training in turn prepares individuals for their eventual integration in the employment sector. But, it seems that there is a mismatch between the aptitudes of school-leavers and the needs of the industrial sector. It follows that apposite instruction is necessary to cater for the ever changing industrial contingencies of the country. The transition from school to work coincides with adolescence; both stages are intrinsically important to the persona in establishing one's own individuality and character. Through employment one starts to secure one's place in society. On the other hand, unemployment may actually portend a severe handicap, both financially and socially. It could also lead one to delinquency. The Economic Survey (January - September 2000) states that of the 6, 594 persons unemployed in Malta, 26. 8%, or 1,767 are youths up to 24 years of age. In its bid to overcome unemployment, the Employment and Training Corporation offers training courses in some thirty different skills/trades to prospective job seekers. Also, Malta's bid for EU partnership has opened the doors for further study /vocational training abroad. Through the Socrates and Leonardo programmes, students may travel to other member states to further enhance their employability or, moreover, to seek employment therein. But how informed are Maltese youths about such concerns? Malta's pending application issue has become highly politicised and most people would rather not co-involve themselves in any dialogue regarding the matter. This study attempts to show the consequences of such a non-committal stance through the results obtained after administering 700 questionnaires amongst youths in some ten specific sectors of our society. The results obtained from the analysis of the data collected should be an eye-opener for all those who would like to fathom further the truth of the matter.