MITA, the government's IT agency, will be investing close to €190,000 in the ICT Institute at MCAST aimed at strengthening the skills-set of students
and the continuous professional development of the academic staff.
The announcement was made by IT Minister Austin Gatt at a press conference with Prof. Maurice Grech, Principal and CEO of MCAST and Claudio Grech the Chairman of MITA.
"The investment announced today, together with the other activities being implemented by the eSkills Alliance, is the foundation for improved business innovation in the industry," Dr Gatt said.
"The work we have been doing through the eSkills Alliance centres around four clear principles:
"First, we strengthen the attractiveness of ICT careers with the young generations and highlight the benefits associated with this profession;
"Second, we create new ICT educational opportunities for students which are relevant for the current and future jobs in the workplace;
"Third, we provide professional development opportunities for the academic staff as well as organise synergistic activities between the industry and educators to strengthen the knowledge transfer process; and Fourthly, we invest time and effort in creating alliance and strategic partnerships between the industry and educational institutions – private and public."
MITA will be helping the MCAST Institute of ICT in enrolling in various ICT industry 'Academy' programmes which offer industry-driven certification courses for students which are demanded by the industry.
Typical examples of these Academy Programmes are those offered by EMC, HP, Microsoft and Cisco. MITA will be sponsoring the procurement of equipment and library resources in order for students and academic staff to have access to the latest technology resources. Another set of funding will be utilised for the sponsorship of training opportunities for the academic staff of the Institute, both in Malta and abroad.
MITA will also be sponsoring a soft-skills course for students for a well-rounded educational experience, as well as sponsor networking events for students, educators and the industry to discuss and share knowledge on the latest technology trends and industry developments.