Youth entrepreneurship policy project launched

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Education minister Evarist Bartolo said that Malta’s formal education system is partly to blame for the lag in entrepreneurship in society.

Bartolo was speaking at a press conference to mark the launch of a policy project entitled, ‘Youth Entrepreneurship in the European Union’ by MEP Miriam Dalli.

“Entrepreneurship is often overlooked in favour of tests and exams,” said Bartolo. “I think the education system kills entrepreneurship rather than nourishing it.”

This, he said, is a problem of formal education systems around the world.

“We need to see how education can make people inquisitive and entrepreneurial. We need to take initiative and face the uncertainty that is entrepreneurship,” Bartolo said.

MEP Miriam Dalli, who developed the project in collaboration with AEGEE Valletta and the Malta Chamber of Commerce, said that investing in youth is as essential as developing and creating economic growth.

"Providing young people with the necessary skills and knowledge will help to create thriving businesses that will help our country to ensure a better future," she said.

"Throughout my campaign in the run up for the MEP elections, it became immediately clear that young people offer a oit of potential and it has been my mission, ever since my election, to give them a voice and an opportunity to make their ideas matter."

Dalli said that in view of this reality, she had decided to launch this project, which consists of a number of seminars in Malta and Brussels. The workshops will develop concrete recommendations that Dalli would present to Maltese Authorities and to the European Commission for their consideration.

Addressing students at an event entitled, ‘Tomorrow's business today,’ which marked the beginning of the project, Dalli said that the event would serve as an "eye opener" for all those wishing to embark on new businesses.

The seminar today aimed to address the way entrepreneurship works and it would include contributions from MITA and Malta Enterprise among others.

Dalli said that the second event would be held in Brussels on the 26th of February and it would have the theme of supporting SMEs, microenterprises and young entrepreneurs in the EU. 20 young people would be flown to Brussels for the event. Joanna Drake and representatives from Amazon, as well as Maltese entrepreneur in London, Mark Azzopardi are among the confirmed speakers.  

It will focus on EU policy on youth entrepreneurship including the small businesses act for Europe. A third event was also planned for a later date in Malta, and it would be aimed at fostering interaction between young entrepreneurs, business leaders and established entrepreneurs to try and lead to more tangible opportunities.

The recommendations made during these three events would then be compiled into a report to be presented to economy minister Chris Cardona and European Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, with the aim of having these recommendations addressed both locally and on a European level in a realistic manner.