VOICE OF THE
WORKERS ISSUE 37 SEPTEMBER 2014
Contents
THE MARITIME OPPORTUNITY Malta has always been a maritime nation. We have always depended on the sea to maintain our links with the world. In the past, our ports served as havens for trade as well as for war. Our strategic position in the centre of the Mediterranean was sought after by every military and trade superpower that wanted supremacy over Mediterranean routes. Today, Malta is still heavily reliant on the maritime sector. Most of our cargo in and out of the country passes through Malta’s ports, together with a sizeable proportion of people that come VOICE OF THE
WORKERS
and go on some of the world’s biggest cruise liners. Our maritime sector is also a feeder industry, and provides countless other sectors with crucial economic benefits. It is ironic that although the Maritime sector in Malta is so strategic, the number of Maltese workers in this sector is steadily declining. This has definitely not been brought about by any shrinkage of the industry. Far from it. This industry is steadily growing, the demand for workers is ever present, but the supply of the right kind of Maltese workers is clearly lacking.
The Maritime Crossroads of the Med
02
Steering towards excellence
03
The EU’s Maritime Sector
05
Malta: A Maritime Vocation
06
Maritime Initiatives
07
Video
08
EDITOR’S NOTE JOSEF VELLA
There are a variety of reasons behind such an issue. There seems to be a mismatch between what is being demanded by the sector and the Maltese worker skillset. Although the educational sector is providing some courses that lead to maritime qualifications, we are still far off from providing an educational system that can state that it is fully and squarely providing workers for this important industry. There is also the issue of priorities. As a country, we have placed considerable emphasis on the aviation industry, amongst other sectors. This, in itself, is not wrong, as the aviation industry is 1