There is a strong link between illiteracy and unemployment. This fact resulted from a conference on the promotion of inclusion through adult literacy, organised by the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC).

ETC statistics show that by the end of May, 14 per cent of jobseekers were illiterate (17 per cent of male jobseekers and three per cent of women jobseekers). This is a decrease of three per cent from the rate three years ago. Illiteracy is most common among the 45-54 age bracket.

Although the data shows that illiteracy is more prevalent among these age groups, it is found across all ages. The illiteracy rate of registering jobseekers aged under 30 stands at 7.6 per cent.

Since there is a strong link between literacy and employment, the corporation has embarked on a number of projects to improve literacy levels among those seeking employment and others who applied for such courses.

Between May 2007 and May this year, the ETC trained 844 people in literacy. The largest number of participants was within the 25-39 age bracket. Many of these were trained and equipped with basic literacy skills need to enter the labour market, thanks to financial support by the European Social Fund (ESF).

The corporation provides literacy training in various localities, including its training complex in Ħal Far and the Jesuits' Paolo Freire Institute in Zejtun.

Joseph Cutajar, senior manager at the corporation's Training Services Division, said that the ETC is also collaborating with employers to provide training to address illiteracy at the workplace.

Lynn Carpenter, senior assistant director of the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE), which promotes adult learning across the UK, spoke about her organisation's experiences in training people to read and write.

Ms Carpenter said that some of the challenges faced by the UK institute were the need to co-ordinate a national strategy on the issue, increase the pool of qualified professionals who teach in this area, develop a comprehensive range of age-appropriate teaching material, develop nationally recognised tests and qualifications for learners, and improve the measures to record learners' progress and achievement.

She concluded that an emphasis should also be made on the quality and professionalism of trainers in this area.

Prof. Peter Mayo, from the University of Malta, spoke about the challenge of eradicating the negative stigma which society attributes to illiterate persons, and to prevent the exclusion of such persons from active citizenship.

Prof. Mayo went on to say that society needs to focus more on measures to motivate these people, since motivation is key to success.

Albert Friggieri, general manager of ProMinent Ltd., a German factory employing 100 people in Malta, was invited to share the experiences of his company in this regard.

He spoke about the literacy training being offered to the employees, showing the importance of lifelong learning and re-training of workers. The company offers literacy training free of charge during and after working hours.

Sandro Spiteri, principal of St Margaret's College, spoke about the various initiatives undertaken by a number of public entities, such as the Foundation for Educational Services, the Adult Education Section within the directorate general of the Education Division and the ETC.

He emphasised that education should be delivered at community level and within the newly established colleges.

ETC general manager Felix Borg closed the conference, saying that training providers should build on the strengths of learners.

Training should be delivered to cover one milestone at a time so that learners can achieve success and build up the courage to continue to learn.

Mr Borg welcomed the ideas put forward for more networking between basic skills training providers.

The conference was supported by the ESF 18 Literacy Programme for Persons Seeking Employment.

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