With over 30 years of experience in human resources, Lucia Vella, HR Manager at MITA, has played a pivotal role in shaping talent management, employee relations and leadership development within the agency. Her dedication to student development has been instrumental in fostering a seamless transition from education to the professional world.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the need for skilled ICT professionals has never been greater. Recognising this, MITA has long been committed to offering apprenticeship opportunities to students from MCAST.

These placements not only help students gain invaluable real-world experience but also allow MITA to tap into a pool of motivated, skilled individuals eager to contribute to the agency’s objectives.

“MCAST apprentices have supported MITA in many of its corporate objectives.  Apprentices have always brought strong enthusiasm to learn and to integrate into our work culture,” she says. “Apart from ICT related skills which are well aligned with the agency’s requirements, students also bring forward a positive attitude. Students strengthen teamwork through their contribution and new perspectives. Their positive attitude shows in their adoption of our work ethics and in adhering to our policies and to our way of working.”

Moreover, Ms Vella asserts, MCAST students apply their problem-solving capabilities on the job and have proven to be valuable contributors to the delivery of the agency’s services and projects.

At MITA, students are assigned work that is aligned with their course of studies and a mentor who provides them close direction.  With time they will develop the technical competencies required. Their progress depends on their capabilities and eagerness to learn.

“The apprenticeship allows the students to develop the interpersonal and communication skills required in a work environment,” Ms Vella states. “They learn to work in a team and communicate with various levels of authority. This holistic approach helps the students mature, establish personal integrity and develop a professional identity, all of which are key characteristics in a professional world.”

The benefits of work-based learning extend to both students and employers. For students, the experience provides a clearer understanding of their career aspirations while simultaneously strengthening their CVs with practical experience.

On the other hand, MITA’s managers often leverage students’ enthusiasm and creativity in brainstorming sessions, recognising their contributions as vital to the agency’s success.

“Our line managers describe the students as valuable resources who contribute to the team and the agency with the same dedication and passion as full-timers,” says Vella. “This allows us to serve more customers and deliver a better service.”

The Employer’s Perspective on Apprenticeships

From an employer’s perspective, apprenticeship programmes offer a structured way to assess and cultivate future talent. By the time students complete their placements, MITA has had the opportunity to evaluate their potential as future employees.

Many former apprentices transition into full-time roles within the agency, already familiar with its work ethics, policies, and expectations. Ms Vella highlights that, “some of our current employees who started as apprentices have developed into managerial or specialised positions and are now key people within our agency.”

Encouraging other businesses to embrace work-based learning programmes, Ms Vella emphasises the low-risk, high-reward nature of these initiatives. Companies have the flexibility to assess students’ capabilities, and MCAST actively monitors progress, ensuring that any challenges are addressed promptly.

What Makes an Apprentice Stand Out?

Every year MITA successfully employs several MCAST apprentices  who then apply to fill the agency’s  vacancies. When it comes to selecting apprentices for full-time positions, MITA looks for individuals who embody professionalism, adaptability, and a strong work ethic.

“Personal integrity and credibility are qualities that stand out in an interview,” Ms Vella asserts. “In our experience of MCAST students, those who embarked on their career with our agency through an apprenticeship were normally able to hit the ground running once employed, developed deeper roots within the agency and showed stronger engagement resulting in a longer-term relationship.”

She continues to say that the students come well equipped with the ICT skills needed to carry out assigned tasks. This shows the direct relation between their studies and practical work. Students are involved in work related to research, networking, development, testing, coding, troubleshooting, process improvement, client services, amongst others.

MITA line managers describe the students as: “valuable resources who contribute to the team and the agency with the same dedication and passion as that of the full timers.” This allows the agency to serve more customers and hence deliver a better service.

Ms Vella says that she would certainly encourage other companies to take this opportunity.

“The scheme is flexible and allows any issues to get resolved through discussions with MCAST along the way. The MCAST team monitor students by sending their mentors on the job to discuss the students’ progress. Besides,   apprenticeships may ease the burden of recruitment since by the end of their studies students will develop into potential candidates. This is useful nowadays where it is becoming increasingly difficult to find the right person for the job,” she concludes.