Work-based vocational competencies are integrated into Malta’s educational and training programmes emphasising quality qualifications whilst: increasing economic competitiveness and ensuring that the skills gap between education and work is addressed, producing a skilled labour force that responds better to the labour market needs. 

At the compulsory secondary education level: 

The Ministry for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation (MEYR) launched ‘My Journey: achieving through different paths’, a secondary school reform aiming to tackle early school leaving further and to provide a system for all learners by addressing their different learning aptitudes, intelligence and patterns.  

The comprehensive and inclusive reform was introduced in the first year of secondary schooling (year 9, age 13) during the school year 2019-20. Hence, since September 2019, through the My Journey reform, secondary school students are allowed to choose from academic, vocational, and/or applied subjects in addition to the core curriculum. A national careers web portal and events such as I Choose were developed. Students and parents/guardians are guided through the subject choosing process and can access all information on the different subject options through the 3 routes. 

Lower secondary learners can select options/subjects (general/academic, vocational and applied) alongside their compulsory lessons. The following nine vocational subjects and their corresponding applied ones are available: 

All these subjects lead up to EQF/MQF level 3 qualification, with no dead-ends. The rationale is that vocational education supports the educational engagement of learners who may struggle with the learning pedagogy of mainstream academic subjects. The progress of learners in the vocational subjects is not assessed through formal examinations but through ongoing assessment by the subject teacher, verified internally by a second subject teacher, and evaluated by an external verifier from the national assessment board. School-based information sessions were organised for learners, their parents and teaching staff. Teachers already in service who opted to teach the new vocational and applied subjects attended ongoing professional development sessions in the learning content, vocational pedagogy and assessment procedure. in addition to the investment in human resources, the Ministry and the ESF jointly financed 78 vocational spaces, equipping them with the latest material and teaching resources. 

The My Journey reform includes vocational and applied subjects as a measure to reduce early school leaving and, potentially, increase tertiary education attainment. This involves moving from a 'one size fits all' system to a more inclusive and equitable programme. The aim is to respond to different educational needs and give parity of esteem to general, vocational and applied subjects. The new system builds on the current one but ambitiously moves forward in democratising academic, vocational and applied learning for all students within a framework of parity of esteem. It retains key competencies and sustains traditional academic learning programmes. Complementarily, vocational subjects and applied learning programmes leading up to MQF Level 3, are also made available to all students and are provided within the same school and in all secondary schools. Applied learning is comparable and equivalent to academic and vocational education and is accredited up to MQF Level 3. Following compulsory education, students may opt to continue their studies at the University of Malta (UM), Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) or another higher education institution of their choice. 

The introduction of equitable learning programmes enables more quality time for in-depth learning while increasing learning opportunities, eliminating dead ends and easing labour market entry. My Journey seeks to promote increased links between education and industry. Close cooperation between schools and workplaces assures the currency of subject learning outcomes (SLOs), provides real-life work environments thus warranting the assimilation of the aims of work life, establishes fruitful relationships with companies and facilitates the learning of entrepreneurship competencies. These processes contribute to their development of expertise in the occupation that cannot be simulated in a school-based environment. By offering the possibility to choose vocational and/or applied paths at the age of 12, the reform is implemented to avoid the possibility of later exclusion. In order to avoid that students may leave compulsory education not being well equipped with those key competencies that could allow later re-skilling and up-skilling, the My Journey reform also includes new learning programmes in the core subjects (Mathematics, English, Maltese and Science) targeted at students following applied programmes. In this regard, a new certification, The Secondary Education Applied Certificate (SEAC) run by the MATSEC board will certify 9 applied option subjects and 5 core subjects. 

At the post-secondary education level: 

In March 2018, the Work-based Learning and Apprenticeship Act came into force, providing regulations and governance and administration of accredited training programmes for work-placements, apprenticeships and internships for VET purposes. 

The Work-based Learning and Apprenticeship Act strengthened work-based learning by: 

•   setting definitions and operational parameters for work placements, apprenticeships and internships; 

•   outlining responsibilities and governance structures; 

•   defining rights and obligations for VET providers, employers and learners;    

•   highlighting the role of employers as responsible learning partners; 

•   setting a compulsory minimum number of hours for all forms of work-based learning and linking remuneration to the minimum wage; 

•   using ECVET/ECTS in all forms of work-based learning; 

•   introducing a single EQF-based apprenticeship qualification replacing the dual certification currently in place; 

•   launching a training agreements register to support data collection and policy-relevant analysis by the national skills council 

As Malta’s leading vocational college, the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) is the VET institution responsible for governing and managing the Apprenticeship system at the national level in Malta. It has been working to raise the quality of apprenticeships so as to strike a balance between theoretical and on-the-job training and hence enable the apprentice to obtain long-term employability. The Work-Based Learning and Apprenticeship Act provides regulations and governance and administration of accredited training programmes for work-placements, apprenticeships and internships for VET purposes. 

Through this Act, Malta has now introduced a system where apprentices get first-hand knowledge of how the industry works, and are able to see clearly, what they would like to pursue as a career. All apprentices now can obtain the qualifications they need in the specific field chosen, while being able to put the skills they learn into practice at the same time, with the assistance of experts who are always on-hand to show them how things are done. 

Furthermore, work-based learning is an essential part of the curricula at the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS). The ITS internship department assists students in finding work within the tourism and hospitality sector, thus helping to integrate them into the labour market.   

From a public employment service perspective: 

Through the Youth Guarantee 3.0, which was launched in February 2025, young people till 29 years of age who are within the NEET category can benefit from initiatives that are specifically targeted at youth. Both registered jobseekers and inactive youth can benefit from the Youth Guarantee 3.0 measures, administered by the Maltese Public Employment Service. These include the Empower YOUth, SEC Revision Classes, remedial classes and ALMA. 

Empower YOUth addresses both inactive and unemployed youth till 29 years of age through an activation pathway that combines personalised support, formal and informal training and work placements. The component is divided into three phases:  

The regulations set out by Subsidiary Legislation 452.92  entitled 'Young Persons (Employment) Regulations', seek to protect young workers in employment. Young Persons include ‘children’ still of compulsory school age (have not finished compulsory schooling or are below the age of sixteen) and those between the compulsory school age and under eighteen years, known as ‘adolescents’. Protection is higher when it concerns children in employment. 

Adolescents 

The working conditions indicated below must be observed by the employer when employing an adolescent: 

Furthermore, the employer should: 

Children 

The regulations and working conditions that apply to employment of young persons are more protective in respect of work by children. Work includes any activity that can be either paid or for free. 

Before employing a child still of compulsory school age, the employer requires an authorisation issued by the Director General, Educational Services and the Director of Employment and Industrial Relations (DIER). A request for authorisation may only be considered if the proposed light work is not dangerous to the health or harmful to child development. 

In this respect it must be ensured that: 

The employer has carried out a risk assessment to confirm that the work is not dangerous for the minor, and the Director General, Educational Services finds no objection from the educational aspect. 

An eform entitled Request for School Exemption and Authorisation for Employment of Minors is submitted. The form needs to be filled in by the parents or legal guardians and the employer, and presented by one of the parents or legal guardians at the School or at the Social Work Service, National School Support Services. If the minor does not have a Maltese Citizenship, a copy of the Birth Certificate needs to be presented. 

A request for authorization should only be sought for children under fourteen years of age where it is linked to employment in cultural, artistic, sports or advertising activities and for children of fourteen and fifteen years of age even when performing light work which may be in other activities. Applications for other types of work by minors will not be entertained. 

When an authorisation to employ a child is issued, the employer should seek to observe the conditions attached to such permission. 

The minimum conditions of employment for minors as established in the law, include: 

The same as in the case of adolescents, the employer should ensure to: 

The Maltese Public Employment Service is responsible for the monitoring of all initiatives falling within the Youth Guarantee framework. The data gathered is subdivided in three levels: 

To supplement this data, a number of evaluation exercises are carried out. These include exit questionnaires and feedback from professionals intervening with youth and employers involved in the work exposure and/or traineeship phase. Programmes are assessed by Malta's Public Employment Service. During the work exposure and traineeship monitoring visits feedback from the trainee and employer is sought to gather additional information on their experience throughout the scheme. During the off-the-job training, quality visits are performed to ensure that the delivery of the off-the-job training is in accordance with the course; the trainer is using different delivery methodologies to meet the needs of all trainees, and the tools and facilities used by trainers to deliver the course are in line with the standards established by Malta's Public Employment Service. 

To ensure the effectiveness of the training being given to trainees by employers, each trainee is visited at least once for the Work Exposure Scheme  by Malta's Public Employment Service (Jobsplus) and Monitoring Officers. During the on-the-spot check, Monitoring Officers are assisted through a checklist to ensure the publicity material is adequately displayed in a prominent place, that the employer has retained copies of documentation, documentation is complete, and that the tasks being assigned are in line with the agreement. Monitoring Officers attach photographic evidence of the publicity material as displayed, as well as photographic evidence of the participant’s presence to the first checklist, while in subsequent visits, attach only the participant’s photo on the day, while ensuring that the publicity material is still present, recording the same on the checklist. The employer and participant are questioned about the progress up to that point. Under the new Work Exposure Scheme and Traineeships Scheme, monitoring officers will also be seeking feedback on the competences being acquired during the scheme.  Answers are recorded on the checklist, and feedback to project implementation staff at the Maltese Public Employment Service, Jobsplus, is provided as and where necessary. During the visits, Monitoring Officers also ask questions about the placement to ensure that the exposure offered aligns with what the employer originally promised through its application.  In those instances, where it is deemed that the quality of exposure provided is not up to the required standard, Jobsplus reserves the right to terminate the placement and to find an alternative placement for the trainee.