Leonardo exchange a success

The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) during the last few weeks has assisted a number of student workers from the Professional Lyceum of Coteaux in Cannes, France, to find work placements as part of the Leonardo Educational Exchange Programme.

The Professional Lyceum provides vocational education and training in sales and marketing, retail and business skills, supply-chain management, merchandising, shop window and display, dress making and upholstery and secretarial and accountancy skills. The programmes and qualifications offered lead to a diploma.

The programme consisted of a work/training placement in industry and a number of workshops dealing with the retail and business skills required within the changing environment. Workshops were conducted by Alex Borg, trainer and consultant in supply-chain management and director of the Logistics Foundation Centre of Hamrun, and by Paul Rapa, merchandising executive at Farsons. The four-week project was also co-ordinated by Mr Borg.

The programme and the placement were described as "unique and a tremendous experience" by both the trainees and their trainers who came to Malta to oversee the project.

The French students were accompanied by their trainers and were hosted at EAN Malta by Mr Borg and Joe Cutajar, manager, Training Services Division ETC. They were joined by David Calleja Urry, chairman of EAN Malta, Antoine Mallia, executive director of EAN Malta, and Mr Rapa.

Apart from the Logistics Foundation Centre and Farsons, Collis & Williams also helped support the project.

At the end of their programme, the students were presented with a certificate by Mr Borg on behalf of the Logistics Foundation Centre. Mr Borg was also invited to Cannes to lecture on retail and supply-chain management.