Private institutions take in excess Mcast IT students

An unusually large number of students wanting to enrol in IT courses at the Malta College for Arts, Science and Technology this year has prompted the college to farm out courses to private training companies.

At a press conference yesterday, Education Minister Louis Galea and Information Technology and Investment Minister Austin Gatt said that 350 more students than expected had applied to join Mcast's IT courses this year but the college could not take them even though they had the necessary qualifications.

For this reason, the ministries and the college teamed up with four IT training companies - Key Training Services, STC Training, Computer Domain and St Martin's Institute of IT - which had agreed to take the students.

The students, who will have access to all rights and benefits of other Mcast students, including a stipend, will also be granted Mcast certification at the end of their courses.

Dr Galea said the private training companies had the necessary certification from international IT companies to hold courses. Besides, they were working closely with Mcast and the Education Ministry so that the level would be equivalent to students attending Mcast classes.

Though such a partnership with the private sector was not really a new concept, Dr Galea said, the uptake of students by IT training companies was a way of expanding the country's training capacity.

Dr Gatt said Mcast had "worked miracles" to provide trained people for industry and for investment yet to come.