Education + female employment = key

Last week, I spoke about my belief that the greatest challenge we face, on both local and European levels, lies in the way we address the changes caused by globalisation and a fast-evolving demography.

In brief, while globalisation has greatly benefited the consumer, through better choice, higher quality and cheaper products, the freeing up of markets has also placed pressure on local businesses to up their structures in order to retain competitiveness.

In certain cases, industries long established in Malta could not resist the pull of lower, but better, conditions offered by emerging economies such as China and India and chose to close shop on our island. This has often been the case in the manufacturing and textiles sectors. In June 2007, for example, two of Malta's leading textile companies - VF and Bortex - decided to close their plants in Malta and move to areas that offered significantly lower production costs, allowing them to compete better.

Almost 700 workers lost their jobs as a result of the closure of the two companies. And the truth is that it is extremely difficult to retain such industries because of the good working conditions we offer to our workers.

This is precisely why education, training and life-long learning have become staples of our policy discourse.

When VF and Bortex employees found themselves without a job, the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) utilised the European Globalisation Fund to profile and provide skills and training to all those who wanted to re-enter the workforce. The ETC also offered occupational guidance and opened schemes for all those who expressed their interest in starting a new business.

From a wider perspective, and looking at the issue proactively, EU member states, including Malta, have pledged not to sacrifice the conditions offered to their workers and have chosen instead to target the attraction of higher-end value added industries. To do so, we must invest heavily in education and training.

The Lisbon Strategy, adopted by EU member states at the turn of the millennium, aims to turn Europe into "the most dynamic and competitive knowledge-based economy in the world capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion and respect for the environment by 2010".

Malta's Vision 2015 similarly eyes high value added pockets, which it aims to excel in over the coming years, including financial services, information and communication technology, high-end manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, education and tourism.

In fact, returning to one of the examples given earlier, while Bortex closed its manufacturing facilities and opened operations in Tunisia and China, its headquarters and knowledge-based activities were retained in Malta, precisely because of the quality and expertise of our workforce.

Education is therefore crucial if we are to continue attracting high value added jobs. In tandem with education and training, we must also give our best effort to increase the size of our labour force.

During a television discussion held last Monday, for example, the Prime Minister revealed that the ETC had filed more than 52,000 job vacancies since 2004 and that it had found a job for about 20,000 workers.

This is why I believe we need a much higher female participation rate in our labour force. At a measly 36.9 per cent of all women aged 15-64, Malta has the lowest female employment rate in the European Union. Keeping in mind that the average EU female employment rate is 62.5 per cent, one in every three Maltese women participate in the Maltese workforce compared to two out of every three women on a European level.

Where do I stand on these issues?

First and foremost, as the EPP's negotiator on the European Globalisation Fund, I believe that Europe's reactive safety net must be fully functional and flexible so as to cater for workers who are suddenly made redundant, particularly due to the present economic and financial crisis.

Secondly, I fully endorse the Nationalist Party's proposal that one of our Maltese MEPs be seated as a member of the European Parliament Committee on Employment and Social Affairs. Through this committee, we can truly work towards safeguarding the interests and rights of Maltese workers.

Thirdly, I pledge to work towards boosting the female participation rate in our labour force. I strongly support the concept of flexicurity, the setting up of childcare facilities and life-long learning approaches towards keeping women abreast with the necessary skills required to maintain employability.

Let's be proactive about our future.

Mr Casa is a Nationalist member of the European Parliament.

david@davidcasa.eu, www.davidcasa.eu