The Malta Institute of Accountants has launched the second edition of the #AccountsForYou Awareness Campaign, as it seeks to encourage young students to discover more about the exciting and varied career opportunities that this profession provides. It will also address the need for wider financial literacy starting at a young age, a key tool in the development of the citizens of tomorrow.
The campaign was launched by MIA President David Delicata and CEO Maria Cauchi Delia in the presence of the Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation Hon. Dr Clifton Grima.
Addressing a press briefing at the Institute’s Head Office, MIA President David Delicata noted that despite the turbulent economic times of recent years, the Maltese economy has continued to grow and attract higher-quality jobs particularly in the services-based industry, creating the need for an increasing cohort of accountancy and auditing professionals. Quoting a recent survey commissioned by the MIA, the Institute of Taxation and the Institute of Financial Services Practitioners, the Export-Oriented Foreign Direct Investment services sector employs more than 28,000 persons, excluding many more thousands who provide ancillary services to such industry. While hundreds of students yearly qualify to act as accountants through University of Malta and the MIA-ACCA Joint Scheme, demand continues to outstrip supply.
“Accountancy is synonymous with a profession which highlights the importance of ethics, professionalism and good governance. It is a profession which has demonstrated resilience throughout times, and offers professionals engaged in it the opportunity to make a difference, for accountants play a key role in every organisation, irrespective of its industry or size. Our aim is to encourage young people to be aware of these opportunities,” Delicata added.
MIA CEO Maria Cauchi Delia explained that the campaign will be targeted towards students in Year 8 and Year 11 in state, church, and independent schools as well as post-secondary institutions, these being important junctures on their study path. The campaign will feature live sessions in schools supported through a digital campaign on the social and media platforms which are frequently used by the younger community.
Cauchi Delia said that the first edition of the campaign, despite the limitations of the pandemic, reached more than 1,000 children from 40 schools, with the Institute targeting to sustain and possibly improve on these numbers.
Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation Dr Clifton Grima said: “In a constantly evolving world, the labour market is coming up with new requirements. In this context, we need to provide guidance to our country’s students at the delicate phase of their life when they make important choices that will impact their future. For this reason, we should promote subjects that help them achieve these goals, including those related to accountancy, so that the market requirements are met.” The Minister recalled that decisions on their future career need to be ultimately taken by the children themselves, and it is for this reason that the Guidance and Counselling Unit within the Education Ministry provides guidance to students so that their choice is made according to their aspirations and abilities, while also focusing on the wider socio-economic development.
The Malta Institute of Accountants would like to thank the Ministry of Education, the Department of Accounts within the Directorate for Learning and Assessment Programmes (DLAP) which is supporting this campaign, as well as MIA officials, members and staff, together with other contributors and sponsors for their contribution and support towards this campaign.