Our Workforce Is Our Asset

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MITTS LTD ANNUAL REPORT 2000

OUR WORKFORCE IS OUR ASSET

The philosophy of MITTS Ltd is based on investment in its most valuable asset - its human resources upon which MITTS Ltd’s end product – technology – is ultimately dependent. Thus, MITTS Ltd is highly recognisant that its success is, indeed, based on the motivation, skills and dexterity of its workforce. In essence, MITTS Ltd major asset is knowledge and it is imperative that its knowledge base remains current. In a highly dynamic environment, the pressure of maintaining the knowledge base is a challenge in its own right and requires considerable funding. Moreover, in September 2000, the Board adopted the principle that MITTS Ltd, as an IT organisation, should champion new working practices brought into play by technology and the design of a pilot framework for the introduction of teleworking was initiated. Aware of the importance of attracting and retaining staff, in 2000 MITTS Ltd embarked on an initiative to instill the concept of a caring organisation and facilitate the life of working mothers and single parents through a Child Care Scheme. Additionally, a team-building exercise aimed at reaching all members of the workforce was initiated with a two-day programme for the Executive Committee, held in November 2000.

TRAINING INITIATIVES "The focus is on the people". The need to re-skill staff and carry out appropriate retraining is critical to MITTS Ltd’s ability to deliver effectively and efficiently. The upgrading of skills is strongly felt and required if MITTS Ltd in the services it offers to its clients is to remain abreast with rapidly changing technologies and supporting tools. During the year 2000, MITTS Ltd increased its training budget substantially to be able to embark on a number of training initiatives aimed at obtaining currency in evolving technologies through local and overseas training, as well as staff participation in seminars and conferences from which new trends and developments emerge. Apart from the on-going company-wide training initiatives, last year’s training efforts were primarily concentrated on our networking staff, who followed CISCO-certified courses, and on our applications development staff who were required to acquire skills crucial to e-Government. Concurrently, MITTS Ltd encouraged employees to take the initiative to improve their knowledge and skills. In 2000 the Company funded several members of staff to further their studies, whilst a new scheme encouraging MITTS Ltd professionals to take up membership with professional institutions to keep abreast with new developments, was also introduced. Apart from its own internal HR development, during the year 2000 MITTS Ltd also contributed externally to help alleviate the problem of shortage in the local IT labour market supply. A two-year agreement - an example of a fruitful public-private partnership - was entered into with the OPM and Nucleus for the management of the Swatar Training Facilities. As a result of this, the number of National Computer Centre (NCC) students being trained at Swatar has increased from under 50 to over 200. The Swatar Training Centre has also won a Government tender for the training of Senior Government Officers in Information Management. Another initiative that was triggered off during the year was the revamping of the student Under-Graduate Traineeship Scheme which has been extended to encompass second, as well as third and final-year students in the ITrelated courses. This initiative was complimented by the initiation of discussions with the Department of IT of the University of Malta to set up an industry to academia partnership.