Over the past four years, more than 7,000 people in Malta and Gozo have followed free adult training courses in subjects ranging from literacy to entrepreneurship skills, traditional crafts to information technology.
These courses formed part of 49 projects co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Maltese government over the 2004-2006 period, with a total value of over Lm6 million (€14 million). These include projects co-financed through the ESF Community Initiative EQUAL. As a result of these projects, more than 1,000 jobs have been either created or retained across Malta and Gozo.
Training courses and initiatives co-financed by the ESF have benefited women wishing to set up their own businesses, older unemployed people who needed to update their skills, disadvantaged groups who needed support to join the labour force as well as people wishing to improve their career prospects.
Further training and support initiatives will be co-financed by ESF during the 2007-2013 period, with more than €131.7 million worth of ESF and national funds being allocated to projects relating to human resources development.
The ESF was set up in 1957 as the EU's main financial instrument for investing in people by helping them reach their full potential at the work place. Today, it provides financial support for initiatives encouraging employment, education, training and labour market inclusion.
By helping people reach their full potential, the ESF helps the EU reach its employment and social policy objectives, creating a more competitive and dynamic economy.
The ESF also helps reach the targets set by the Lisbon Strategy on growth and employment, as agreed during the spring European Council 2005.
Further information on the ESF is available at www.ppcd.gov.mt or through the e-mail helpdesk info.ppcd@gov.mt
These courses formed part of 49 projects co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Maltese government over the 2004-2006 period, with a total value of over Lm6 million (€14 million). These include projects co-financed through the ESF Community Initiative EQUAL. As a result of these projects, more than 1,000 jobs have been either created or retained across Malta and Gozo.
Training courses and initiatives co-financed by the ESF have benefited women wishing to set up their own businesses, older unemployed people who needed to update their skills, disadvantaged groups who needed support to join the labour force as well as people wishing to improve their career prospects.
Further training and support initiatives will be co-financed by ESF during the 2007-2013 period, with more than €131.7 million worth of ESF and national funds being allocated to projects relating to human resources development.
The ESF was set up in 1957 as the EU's main financial instrument for investing in people by helping them reach their full potential at the work place. Today, it provides financial support for initiatives encouraging employment, education, training and labour market inclusion.
By helping people reach their full potential, the ESF helps the EU reach its employment and social policy objectives, creating a more competitive and dynamic economy.
The ESF also helps reach the targets set by the Lisbon Strategy on growth and employment, as agreed during the spring European Council 2005.
Further information on the ESF is available at www.ppcd.gov.mt or through the e-mail helpdesk info.ppcd@gov.mt