Jobsplus contracted influencers to promote O level revision classes, PQ shows

Influencers contracted by Malta Daily received between €60 and €412 from Jobsplus to promote O level revision classes on the Youth Guarantee Malta Instagram page.

According to a parliamentary question made by Nationalist MP Rebekah Borg to the Minister of Finance Clyde Caruana, top influencers received between €60 and €412 to promote the revision classes held in 2021 and 2022.

Gaia Cauchi, an influencer who rose to prominence after winning the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2013, was one of the highest earners among the influencers paid to promote the revision classes.

Cauchi received €412 for a minute-long video explaining the application process to attend the revision classes.

The second-highest earner, Maxine Pace, earned €262 for a similar video. Pace is an influencer and singer who contested the 2023 Malta Eurovision Song Contest with her song Alone.

Another four influencers – Maxine Pace, Alana Bondin, Debrii and Danita Camilleri - received between €180 and €500 to promote the INTERCEPT Project 2023.

Danita Camilleri, who runs the well-known blog One Chick and a Yorkie, received €500 to promote the project. This is the highest payment made among the list provided in the parliamentary question.

All of the influencers paid by Jobsplus, except for Danita Camilleri, were paid as part of a wider media package with 13 Media Ltd, better known as MaltaDaily.

The SEC revision classes are free classes offered by the government for students sitting for the English, Maltese, Mathematics and Physics resits. These classes are organised by Youth Guarantee Malta, which falls under Jobsplus within the Ministry of Finance and Employment.

Meanwhile, the INTERCEPT project targets NEETs (Not in Education, Employment or Training) to find a career in the green economy.