Software development is big business in Malta and is an area that we see continuous growth from an employment standpoint. The industry is currently made up of a good mixture of both local and international companies, who choose Malta as one of their international hubs.
One of the main reasons that foreign companies choose to operate from Malta is the specialist IT workforce that Malta harbours in its extensive talent pool of IT trained professionals. This is also one of the reasons Malta has developed a reputation as a centre of excellence within the IT sector. Although there are always opportunities for talented software developers on the island, no matter what technology they have chosen to focus on, we are currently noticing a shortage in Java developers.
And although one or two companies have changed from .Net to Object Orientated technologies, this predominantly shows changes in individuals' behaviours as the number of jobs for each technology coming through has shown no significant change.
The reason for this could lie in the fact that most entry-level developer roles tend to be more general web development positions. After a couple of years experience individuals looking to climb the career ladder look to choose which route from a technology perspective to specialise in, be it .Net, Java or C++ in the main. All routes have their advantages, but current trends seem to be for individuals to go down the .Net path. As a result there are more .Net-trained developers in the local talent pool, making it easier for employers to recruit for such positions. The reason could also be down to the perception that with most Java based roles employers are looking for more experience. This is not necessarily the case and we are currently seeing organisations looking for a wide spectrum of experience, ranging from entry-level right though to experienced developers.
The i-gaming sector makes up a number of IT related companies that have chosen to make Malta their home. We asked David Alamango, IT manager of Expect (Magnas Gaming Malta Ltd), one of the leading i-gaming companies on the island, what he thought about technology specialisation.
For those considering a career in web development, we asked Mr Alamango what he considered to be the main differences between .Net and Java. There tend to be more .Net opportunities, however Java roles often pay more, especially for individuals looking for employment outside of Malta. .Net is an easier technology to master and more straightforward. Java is more complex, however being a good Java developer shows that you have good development skills since you can master more difficult technologies," he explained.
Requested to offer some insight into the pros and cons of choosing different technology to specialise in, Mr Alamango said: "With .Net you are one of many but from a positive aspect there is more job mobility and opportunities around. The opposite applies for Java, there aren't as many Java developers out there, but there are also fewer roles in this technology."
The IT manager of Expect has this advice for those currently having to decide which web development technology to specialise in.
"I believe in this day and age people need to be as versatile as possible, especially when they are just starting out on a new career. Specialisation at an early stage is not good and many employers look for flexibility. Over time people then need to build their niche."
At the end of the day, software development is a fantastic career to be in, regardless of what technology you choose to follow. The industry in Malta continues to grow in importance, with IT salaries growing well above the national average.
Ms Hughes is brand manager at Castille Resources Ltd.
www.castilleresources.com