Last Updated on Friday, 8 May, 2020 at 3:03 pm by Andre Camilleri
Malta is investing €5 million in free online courses for people interested in a career in the tourism sector, Tourism Minister Julia Farrugia Portelli saud today.
After numerous discussions, the Ministry for Tourism and Consumer Protection and Malta Tourism Authority have published a list of over a hundred courses being made available for free, which are all
“We take pride in our tourism sector, and we wish to invest to improve this sector for it to be better post- COVID-19. That is why we are providing those employers and employees in the tourism sector the chance to improve and learn more” explained Farrugia Portelli said.
It is estimated that as many as 25,000 people will be able to benefit from these courses. She explained that not only employers and employees in the tourism sector can apply, but also students studying tourism studies, those individuals who are interested in taking up a part-time job in the sector and also individuals who wish to start a new career in tourism.
There are over 30 service providers who will be providing courses. Looking through the list, there are a number of Language Schools, which Farrugia Portelli said will be providing English courses online for those foreigners working in the tourism sector and might need to improve their English language skills.
Those interested in applying are allowed to apply for a maximum of three short courses or one accredited course. Candidates will be selected on a first come first served basis. The Ministry and MTA have the right to refuse any applications if the allocated budget is exceeded.
When this newsroom asked what happens if a person fails a course, Farrugia Portelli said that she believed that individuals who will be applying for such courses will be determined and prepared to work hard. “There are numerous courses which are extremely interesting and I believe they will interest a lot of individuals to study.”
Farrugia Portelli said that this investment is part of the next steps towards improving the tourism sector in Malta. “We all know that the tourism sector will not be the same post-COVID-19, so now is the time to prepare ourselves for that scenario. We start to look into what type of tourists we wish to bring to Malta and what services we will be providing.”
Chief Executive of MTA Johann Buttigieg provided an outline of all the different service providers and the courses, units which will be available for individuals. He highlighted that among these courses, there is also collaboration with UNESCO on virtual vists and a course on general management of this sector.
