Malta Employers launch TalentSync project to strengthen future skills

Malta Employers has officially launched TalentSync, an initiative aimed at strengthening the alignment between workforce skills and the evolving needs of industry. At a time when many employers are facing increasing difficulty finding workers with the right expertise, this EU-Funded project seeks to provide practical tools and data to support more effective workforce planning.

TalentSync will analyse skills development needs across three industries and three countries: the aviation industry in Malta, the food innovation sector in Ireland and the tourism industry in the Netherlands. Using and refining the methodology used by the National Skills Council in a pilot project focusing on the maritime industry, TalentSync will produce sector-specific reports identifying current and future skills requirements. These findings will support a better functioning labour market through more informed workforce planning, education strategies and training initiatives.

Through two study visits and a series of online workshops, employers will be able to exchange experiences with counterparts in Ireland and the Netherlands, learn from different approaches to workforce development, and explore new ways of addressing skills needs within their sectors.

Speaking during the launch, the President of Malta Employers Ivan Refalo emphasised the importance of forward-looking workforce planning. “Our economy has grown rapidly. Sustaining that growth requires us to ensure that people have the right skills for the jobs of tomorrow,” he said. “Malta has set ambitious targets through its Vision 2050. However, such goals cannot be reached without a stronger alignment between industry, education and policymakers in terms of human resource development. This project aims to bring all stakeholders to better anticipate and better manage future labour market needs.”

Malta Employers EU Helpdesk Coordinator and Project Lead Kurt Cortis highlighted the practical benefits of the initiative. “TalentSync will provide stakeholders a clearer insight into the specific sectors.  More importantly, in the longer term, it will equip Malta Employers with a template to study the needs of other industries in the years ahead,” he said. “This knowledge can help businesses plan recruitment, training and development more effectively, while also supporting workers in preparing for future opportunities.”

Funded under the Erasmus+ programme, TalentSync aims to deliver a refined and transferable methodology for analysing skills needs that can be applied across multiple sectors and countries, supporting long-term workforce development and economic resilience.

The event was also addressed by Dr Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi, Minister for European Funds and the Implementation of the Electoral Programme and Dr Jeffrey Pullicino-Orlando, Executive Chairman of the National Skills Council.