Title page 1

Contents 6

Foreword 4

Acknowledgements 5

Abbreviations and acronyms 9

Executive summary 11

1. Key insights and recommendations for Malta 13

Skills matter for Malta 14

The proposed Skills Strategy in Malta 15

A sectoral strategy for the maritime sector 18

Priority topics and policy recommendations 18

An Action Plan for Malta's National Skills Strategy 25

References 28

Notes 30

2. Policy recommendations and implementation plan for Malta 31

Priority Topic 1: Identifying skills needs through better assessment, forecast and foresight exercises 32

Priority Topic 2: Improving the dissemination of skills information and strengthening career guidance services 40

Priority Topic 3: Empowering educators and school leaders for future-ready education 49

Priority Topic 4: Equipping learners of all ages with skills for the future 61

Priority Topic 5: Encouraging and incentivising adults to participate in learning activities 72

Priority Topic 6: Incentivising employers to stimulate learning in their organisations 79

Priority Topic 7: Making better use of available domestic and foreign talent 87

Priority Topic 8: Strengthening the governance of the skills system 99

References 106

Notes 123

3. Monitoring and evaluation framework for Malta 124

Introduction 125

Indicators for measuring implementation progress 125

The process of measuring implementation progress 126

References 128

Annex 3.A. Input, output, outcome and impact measures 129

4. Piloting the policy recommendations in the Maltese maritime sector 137

Overview and performance 138

Policy recommendations for the maritime sector 138

References 143

Table 2.1. Implementation plan for Recommendation 1 35

Table 2.2. Implementation plan for Recommendation 2 37

Table 2.3. Implementation plan for Recommendation 3 39

Table 2.4. Implementation plan for Recommendation 4 43

Table 2.5. Implementation plan for Recommendation 5 45

Table 2.6. Implementation plan for Recommendation 6 47

Table 2.7. Implementation plan for Recommendation 7 49

Table 2.8. Implementation plan for Recommendation 8 53

Table 2.9. Implementation plan for Recommendation 9 55

Table 2.10. Implementation plan for Recommendation 10 57

Table 2.11. Implementation plan for Recommendation 11 59

Table 2.12. Implementation plan for Recommendation 12 61

Table 2.13. Implementation plan for Recommendation 13 64

Table 2.14. Implementation plan for Recommendation 14 66

Table 2.15. Implementation plan for Recommendation 15 68

Table 2.16. Implementation plan for Recommendation 16 70

Table 2.17. Implementation plan for Recommendation 17 72

Table 2.18. Implementation plan for Recommendation 18 75

Table 2.19. Implementation plan for Recommendation 19 77

Table 2.20. Implementation plan for Recommendation 20 79

Table 2.21. Implementation plan for Recommendation 21 82

Table 2.22. Implementation plan for Recommendation 22 85

Table 2.23. Implementation plan for Recommendation 23 87

Table 2.24. Implementation plan for Recommendation 24 90

Table 2.25. Implementation plan for Recommendation 25 92

Table 2.26. Implementation plan for Recommendation 26 94

Table 2.27. Implementation plan for Recommendation 27 96

Table 2.28. Implementation plan for Recommendation 28 99

Table 2.29. Implementation plan for Recommendation 29 103

Table 2.30. Implementation plan for Recommendation 30 105

Boxes 16

Box 1.1. The OECD Skills Strategy framework 16

Box 2.1. Finland: Co-ordinating national skills intelligence through the Expertise Foresight Forum 34

Box 2.2. Malta: Enhancing strategic foresight at MEYR to anticipate future education needs 36

Box 2.3. France: Anticipating skills needs at the sectoral level 38

Box 2.4. Australia: Customising career guidance for diverse users through the BEYOND Digital Careers Platform 42

Box 2.5. Singapore: Providing an annual publication on local jobs and skills trends to inform career choices 44

Box 2.6. France: Providing universal access to career guidance through the Conseil en évolution professionnelle (CEP) or Career Development Counselling 46

Box 2.7. Scotland: Providing multi-channel career guidance support for parents throughout the schooling journey 48

Box 2.8. France and Italy: Promoting personalised training approaches through individual learning accounts 51

Box 2.9. The Netherlands and Singapore: Supporting pedagogical quality and supporting teachers' professional development through a competency framework 54

Box 2.10. Sweden: Supporting school leaders to develop stronger leadership skills through a professional training programme 56

Box 2.11. Estonia: Creating a virtual community of teachers through the Koolielu platform 58

Box 2.12. Germany: Promoting entry into the teaching profession through a multi-channel campaign 60

Box 2.13. Germany: Reflecting critically on questions of tomorrow through the Futurium 63

Box 2.14. France: Adopting a system-wide approach to green skills in education and training 65

Box 2.15. Austria and the Netherlands: Promoting VET pathways through targeted information and guidance 67

Box 2.16. Ireland: Expanding specialised programmes and aligning investments with priority skills needs through the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) 69

Box 2.17. Lithuania: Identifying concrete opportunities to improve the external quality assurance system through an expert study 71

Box 2.18. United Kingdom: Tailoring lifelong learning campaign messages to diverse audiences 74

Box 2.19. Belgium: Encouraging jobseekers to train in areas of critical skills shortage 76

Box 2.20. Netherlands: Leveraging stakeholder partnerships to boost the validation of prior learning uptake 78

Box 2.21. Luxembourg and Czechia: Promoting employee upskilling while safeguarding employer investments in training 81

Box 2.22. EU, Latvia and Italy: Supporting SMEs to assess skills needs through practical tools 84

Box 2.23. Ireland: Providing affordable, high-quality external training to enterprises through Skillnet Business Networks 86

Box 2.24. Germany: Supporting enterprises to increase workplace productivity through targeted incentives 89

Box 2.25. Finland: Promoting creativity and experimentation in enterprises to support job creation 91

Box 2.26. United Kingdom: Facilitating skills recognition for employers through digital skills cards 93

Box 2.27. Iceland: Validating transversal skills through a combination of approaches 95

Box 2.28. Italy and Lithuania: Combatting brain drain through targeted return migration policies 98

Box 2.29. Australia: Aligning skills supply and demand through Jobs and Skills Councils (JSCs) 102

Box 2.30. Latvia: Ensuring responsiveness and flexibility through action plan renewal cycles 104

Annex Table 3.A.1. Indicators for Priority Topic 1: Identifying skills needs through better assessment, forecast and foresight exercises 129

Annex Table 3.A.2. Indicators for Priority Topic 2: Improving the dissemination of skills information and strengthening career guidance services 130

Annex Table 3.A.3. Indicators for Priority Topic 3: Empowering educators and school leaders for future-ready education 131

Annex Table 3.A.4. Indicators for Priority Topic 4: Equipping learners of all ages with skills for the future 131

Annex Table 3.A.5. Indicators for Priority Topic 5: Encouraging and incentivising adults to participate in learning activities 133

Annex Table 3.A.6. Indicators for Priority Topic 6: Incentivising employers to stimulate learning in their organisations 134

Annex Table 3.A.7. Indicators for Priority Topic 7: Making better use of available domestic and foreign talent 135

Annex Table 3.A.8. Indicators for Priority Topic 8: Strengthening the governance of the skills system 136