Very often young people who are unemployed are desperate to find a job. Such an unhappy situation creates risks since it will be quite easy for certain employers to take advantage of these youths' fragile situation. This is a reality among quite a number of young job seekers in Malta. One reason may be due to the fact that there is an enormous difference between the domestic system of education, where our students are spoiled, and the actual world of work, where more often than not the survival of the fittest prevails.

Currently, our national system of education is still not geared to smooth out things in order to make matters simpler once our youths join the world of work. This situation counts for both school leavers at secondary level and for the majority of those who opt to end their studies at the tertiary level. Indeed, a vast number of courses at the University of Malta, with the exception of pedagogy, medicine and maybe one or two other courses, do not provide hands-on experience to students. As such, university courses should at least provide for some practical knowledge and explanation on what the relevant legislation, policies and practices provide.

University courses should not be simply based on the jotting down of notes from text books and on the learning of theory by heart.

At the other end, neither should Mcast students look for sponsors themselves as, here again, those who will be unsuccessful for various reasons may be left out and, thus, deprived from having the career they desire and aspire for.

Can't we today start thinking of new methods of how to link theory to practice for the sake of experience? Isn't it the time to fine tune what we had achieved in the past, mainly the student-worker schemes? Are we or are we not exploring new and modern methods of apprenticeship schemes?

Currently, the situation with the majority of school leavers at secondary and tertiary level is such that if one does not have strong contacts then the young worker will be devoid of the necessary experience and will therefore have to face life the hard way. He will also be deemed to learn the rules of the game once he belongs to the world of work. It may be well for those who are tough and able to manage but what of the remainder, those who really need guidance and a helping hand to cope during their initial stages of employment?

The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) is offering a number of different schemes especially focusing on young workers in the manufacturing industry. Without doubt, the General Workers' Union is in favour of such schemes. And, indeed, the GWU supports ETC schemes. However, as a stakeholder within the companies embarking on such schemes, it insists that it is informed of the companies' decisions regarding such schemes. The GWU wants to be involved so as to ensure that the employees chosen do not end up performing a role that is far more demanding when compared to the financial remuneration these youths receive. Moreover, the GWU wants to make sure that the employees are provided with a risk-free place of work and are also given the orientation and familiarisation needed within the organisation.

The GWU believes that the purpose behind such schemes is that young inexperienced employees are given the opportunity to avail themselves of the prospects within the world of work so as to further enhance their CV through experience. This aim should remain.

What the GWU opposes is the fact that certain employers, even established companies, use such schemes in a way that jeopardises industrial relations that, quite often, are established through collective bargaining between the company and the GWU. For example, the fact that as a stakeholder the GWU is not involved from the very start and not informed about which schemes the company is embarking upon and how many employees are to be involved, is for the union a shortcoming by the ETC and the management.

The fact that these employees end up assuming ever increasing responsibilities while still being paid according to the scheme entitlement is unacceptable to the GWU. Moreover, these employees are sometimes entitled to academic tuition supported by the company but instances exist whereby the training is either not sustained or not well managed. According to the GWU, such behaviour is also irresponsible.

It is also unprofessional for the management to engage young workers and after a couple of days expect them to work longer hours on overtime.

In this scenario, the GWU will tomorrow be holding a Round Table Conference in collaboration with the ETC to probe the pros and cons of these employment schemes and come up with recommendations and draw conclusions. In order for the discussions to be as wide as possible on the issues in question, the GWU has invited other unions, employers' organisations, the Director of Industrial Relations and Employment - Noel Vella, Opposition deputy leader Charles Mangion and the Minister for Education, Youth and Employment Louis Galea to actively participate in the conference.

The GWU's objective for this Round Table Conference is to emphasise, together with the social partners, that the ETC schemes should not be abused by employers and taken as a means to expand their profits or as a tool to jeopardise industrial relations. The ETC schemes should be purely intended to address unemployed personnel, especially the young, in a way to coach them in such a competitive labour market.

Ms Gatt is the GWU's corporate executive.

rgatt@gwu.org.mt