The Employment and Training Corporation (ETC) is giving local companies operating in the private sector the opportunity to evaluate a potential employee prior to recruitment. This is possible through the Work Trial Scheme (WTS).

Through this scheme, ETC will place a jobseeker with a company for 12 weeks. ETC will issue a grant of 50 per cent of the minimum wage per week for the whole period. The company will be required to offer work exposure for 20 hours weekly. This is beneficial for both the job seeker and the company.

Job seekers will benefit directly from the practical work experience and will have an opportunity to upgrade their skills in line with the needs of the labour market.

The job seeker will be made aware of the responsibilities and requirements of the particular post and work environment. The company will also be able to train and mould a potential employee before recruitment. The company can shape the job seeker's attitude and behaviour in conformance with the culture of the organisation.

The scheme is open to jobseekers aged between 16 and 24 who have never worked, those with work experience not in line with their job preference, graduates and others who have completed their studies and have never worked in their field, individuals who haven't worked for the past year, registered job seekers aged 25 and over who have been unemployed for at least six months, and those who were made redundant recently.

More information on this scheme may be obtained from www.etc.gov.mt (Employment Schemes section) or by e-mailing schemes.etc@gov.mt.