How Skilled Is Malta’s Workforce? This Nationwide Survey Is About To Find Out
For the first time ever, the National Statistics Office is undertaking an exercise to assess the skills of the working age population in Malta.
The Malta Skills Survey was launched last month and is a nationwide study being held between October and December. It is a national stock-taking exercise of Malta’s skills and qualifications among the working age population and will shed light on the skills profile of Malta’s workforce.
It aims at producing reliable statistics rooted in data about the skills and competencies. In turn, this will enable skills profiling exercises that, after thorough analysis, will give a strong picture of any existing skills gaps in the national labour force.
The results from this survey will serve as an important tool for future policy development and further research purposes.
Individuals were notified by mail that they had been chosen as participants in this survey.
A total of 130,000 individuals, aged between 15 and 64 years, and living in private households were randomly selected.
This means that the sample will be made up of roughly half of the working age population on the Maltese islands and participation for those selected is mandatory.
The sample is made up of 64,565 males and 65,435 females. Of the total sample, 103,062 are Maltese nationals while 26,938 are foreign residents. The eligibility criterion for foreign nationals was based on a five-year threshold. In other words, this survey only covers foreign nationals who have been living in Malta for five years or more.
Individuals within the target age group who are currently abroad with the intention to stay abroad for 12 months or more, are also not covered in this survey.
In 2021 the NSO carried out the Census of Population and Housing with a very successful online response rate.
This led to the continued effort to provide different means of participation for this project. Respondents can opt to complete the questionnaire online or over the phone. A team of 450 interviewers has been set up by the NSO to carry out the telephone interviews.
The online questionnaire can be accessed through the dedicated website and takes only minutes to complete.
For anyone needing more information about completing the survey, a freephone helpline was also set up and can be accessed on 1712 between 8am and 8pm Monday to Sunday.
Did you participate in this survey?