Over 18,000 first-time employees in 24 months

Figures quoted in Parliament have shown that, in the first 24 months of this legislature, 18,500 persons had started on their first-time employment. Of these, 12,500 were engaged in full-time employment and 7,254 persons had entered the world of work for the first time last year.

Introducing the motion asking the House to approve the financial estimates of the Employment and Training Corporation, Parliamentary Secretary Clyde Puli referred to NSO statistics which showed that there had been a decrease of 600 gainfully occupied persons in 2009. The gainfully occupied stood at 144,776, out of whom 48,967 were engaged in part-time work.

Mr Puli said that 7,400 persons had been registering for work last March, this being 6.9 per cent of the work force which compared well with the 10 per cent unemployment average in the EU. There were countries such as Spain which had unemployment at 20 per cent.

Malta had fared well despite the global recession, with 23 million people out of work in the EU in 2009. This showed an increase of 4.6 million when compared to 2008.

He said there were clear indicators that Malta was moving forward. ETC statistics showed that in 2009 the corporation processed over 30,000 requests for full-time employment and 21,000 others for part-time work.

Malta's economy had continued to generate employment despite the restructuring of the public sector and the incentive for people reaching retirement age to continue in employment.

While other EU countries had taken austerity measures, Malta had faced the global recession with incentives and subsidies which had saved 2,500 jobs.

This year's national budget had targeted a reduction of €80 million in taxes if operators adopted various government schemes to increase investment, create employment and stimulate the economy.

Incentives had also been given to self-employed and to companies which employed new workers.

The ETC had also found jobs for 2,132 young people in 2009. The unemployment rate for youth in Malta was much less than the EU average.

Looking forward to 2010, Mr Puli said a new job centre would be opened in Birkirkara. This would offer employment services in innovative ways.

The ETC had also initiated training programmes for youths between the ages of 16 and 24, making them employable; 1,800 had attended such courses.

Last March the corporation had embarked on a programme co-financed by the EU to provide guidance to young people who were not even registering for work. The corporation had also trained 380 people who had lost their jobs because of the recession and helped them to find new jobs. Persons with disability were also eligible for this programme.

Mr Puli spoke about women's participation rate in employment, saying the government had opened nine childcare centres to attract more women to enter or to return to the world of work. Female participation at university level stood at 58 per cent, while young women were also attending courses at the MCAST and ITS.

Opposition spokesman on employment Anġlu Farrugia and Nationalist MPs Charlò Bonnici and Beppe Fenech Adami also spoke. Their contribution will be reported tomorrow.