Job exposure scheme proves its worth

The government, through the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC), has invested over Lm2 million in the Employment Exposure Scheme (TEES), through which 460 Maltese workers aged over 40 and who were on the unemployment register were able to undergo a training programme.

Sixty-five per cent of these workers are today gainfully occupied with a few opening up their own business, Louis Galea, Minister for Education, Youth and Employment, said on Thursday.

Dr Galea was speaking during a ceremony in which successful participants in the TEES were presented with their certificate. TEES is partially funded by the European Social Fund of the European Union.

A total of 460 people were engaged in the scheme. By the end of last year, 299 of the participants were still in employment, 251 of whom worked with the employers who recruited them and thus benefited from the financial assistance offered to them through the scheme.

Another 40 of the participants have completed the training phase but were able to find employment on their own initiative and without going through the work experience phase.

Eight of the participants have opened their own businesses.

Dr Galea said that those registering for work and who are over the age of 40 tend to find it particularly difficult to find employment, particularly when skills are low or are not suited for today's work environment.

In 2004, there were over 3,155 people looking for a job and who were over 40; the figure dropped to 2,677 by the end of September 2006, partly a reflection of the general trend in the labour market but also a result of the positive effect of the TEES programme and other initiatives promoting the employment of people over 40.