€190,000 investment in MCAST’s ICT Institute

Addressing a press conference with MCAST CEO Maurice Grech and MITA Chairman Claudio Grech, Transport Minister Austin Gatt described the €190,000 investment  as the foundation for improved business innovation in the industry.

Gatt said the work done through the eSkills Alliance centres around 4 clear principles: strengthening the attractiveness of ICT careers with the young generations and highlight the benefits associated with this profession; the creation of new ICT educational opportunities for students which are relevant for the current and future jobs in the workplace; providing professional development opportunities for the academic staff as well as organise synergistic activities between the industry and educators to strengthen the knowledge transfer process; and investing time and effort in creating alliance and strategic partnerships between the industry and educational institutions - private and public - to implement these 3 aforesaid principles.

MITA will be helping the MCAST Institute of ICT in enrolling in various ICT industry 'Academy' programmes which offer industry-driven certification courses for students which are demanded by the industry.

Typical examples of these Academy Programmes are those offered by EMC, HP, Microsoft and Cisco. MITA will be sponsoring the procurement of equipment and library resources in order for students and academic staff to have access to the latest technology resources. Another set of funding will be utilised for the sponsorship of training opportunities for the academic staff of the Institute, both in Malta and abroad.

It will also be sponsoring a soft-skills course for students for a well-rounded educational experience, as well as sponsor networking events for students, educators and the industry to discuss and share knowledge on the latest technology trends and industry developments. 

Claudio Grech, who provided the details of the investment, said that the action plan backing this investment was crafted by jointly by MITA, the Institute and the industry through the eSkills Alliance. It is the result of an analysis of the skills requirements for business development in both the ICT sector as well as other important sectors which consume and apply technology, such as the Finance sector and the Logistics and Distribution sector.

"The instructions from the industry were clear," Grech said. "In today's competitive economy you are either fast and nimble or you are out of the game. Another clear message was that the ICT vocational graduates should be brilliant specialists in their focused area of technology."

He said government needs to support the industry by providing proficient students who graduate from their vocational education with both the Diploma but also with the industry-related certificates.

"These two types of certifications guarantee employment and enable individuals to make a profession out of their career. This investment aims to deliver just that - improving access to various certifications for both the students and the academic staff."

Prof. Grech explained that the College is engaged in a continuous collaboration with the industry to ensure that it continues to provide students with the relevant skills that meet the current and future demands of the local economy.

"When it comes to our Institute of ICT, this collaboration is a do or die. Innovation and development in the ICT sector take place rapidly; new technologies are updated, if not replaced, in a matter of months.

"Keeping up-to-date with these changes is one of the greatest challenges of all those operating in this sector, including students and their lecturers."

He added that continuous investment in ICT education ensures that students obtain the necessary capabilities and flexibility to keep themselves updated with the latest developments even after they end their education and start their employment career.

Since 2006, over 3,000 students completed ICT courses at MCAST, while another 405 started their studies this academic year.