Programme brings businesses closer to technology students

The Student Placement Programme managed by the Malta Information Technology Agency (MITA) has been launched for employers seeking temporary additional ICT and ICT-related human resources and for students wishing to find a work-attachment in which they can apply their ICT knowledge and passion.

The scheme follows on from the past four successful years where hundreds of employers and students benefited from a programme which prompts a win-win situation and prepares tomorrow’s ICT workforce.

The programme offers a unique and flexible solution to employers for staffing requirements at exceptionally low costs.

The supply of high-quality undergraduate and vocational students will be facilitated by MITA, which will also hold briefing sessions to explain to students what is expected from them during their attachment.

The programme is intended to bridge the demand for provisional ICT skills from employers with the supply of students following an ICT and ICT-related full-time course with a number of public and private educational institutions.

Committed students can fulfil a variety of roles within ICT-intensive workplaces as well as other business-related environments.

The work experience for students is intended to cover eight weeks of meaningful assignment between July and September. The rate of remuneration employers have to invest is €5.20/hour; the minimum working week is 40 hours and students will be entitled to pro-rata vacation, sick leave and government bonus.

Employers and students wishing to participate are asked to apply with MITA through the dedicated web-forms and complete the necessary information.

Employers are to indicate the qualification and knowledge preferences, while students should indicate the course they are attending and their particular areas of knowledge.

MITA will then seek to match the demand and the supply on the basis of the employers’ requirements and will send participating employers a list of candidates. Employers can then conduct interviews and select the students they wish to engage.

Employers are urged to participate and join the list of supporting companies.

Applications through MITA’s website will be accepted until June 10.

Students have until June 3 to apply. They need to complete the application form with detailed information and with the relevant transcripts, which give employers the opportunity to appreciate the knowledge-base being compiled during the respective course of studies.

Application forms are available at www.mita.gov.mt/spp.