Survey reveals strong policy foundations but gaps in awareness and employer engagement
Nearly 70% of survey respondents in Malta are unaware of digital tools for work-based learning, even though 90% say such tools are essential for linking education to the labour market, a new study has found.
The research shows that while Malta has a solid legislative and strategic foundation for work-based learning, awareness and use of available resources remains limited.
The Work-Based Learning (WBL) Champion Project, funded through Erasmus+, conducted a detailed study across Malta, Italy, Portugal and Ireland to understand how education pathways can better equip students with the practical skills employers need.
The project aims to redesign education pathways by giving students stronger opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in real-world settings.
In a statement, the WBL Champion consortium, led by VITECO SRL of Italy, together with KNIGHTS COLLEGE in Malta, INOVA+ in Portugal, and TU Dublin in Ireland, said the survey also highlighted other challenges.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents (63%) said academic programmes do not align with labour market needs, and employer participation, particularly among SMEs, remains low.
Administrative processes were also cited as a barrier to engagement.
The research found that leading educational institutions and employers such as EY Malta and JA Malta are embedding work-based learning into their programmes.
Some 87 per cent of survey respondents expressed willingness to participate in workshops and dialogues aimed at improving work-based learning opportunities.
Comparative findings from Italy, Portugal, and Ireland show that while similar challenges exist across Europe, countries differ in their strengths.
Ireland leads in stakeholder awareness and mentor support, Portugal in digital infrastructure, and Italy in legislative frameworks and apprenticeship models.
Against this backdrop, Malta excels in quality assurance frameworks and pilot initiatives but lags in digital adoption and employer engagement.
“Digital tools are essential for scaling work-based learning, yet the survey shows we have a long way to go in making them accessible and widely used,” said Morgan Parnis, CEO of KNIGHTS.
“This insight helps us target efforts on awareness, employer involvement, and effective use of technology to prepare students for the workforce.”
Nadja Dokter from VITECO said: “The survey results illustrate the importance of combining strong policy with practical digital tools. By learning from peers across Europe, we can create scalable frameworks that benefit students, employers, and educators alike.”
The WBL Champion project will now use these insights to develop a digital platform, quality assurance framework, and continuous professional development courses to support WBL in Malta and across Europe.
For more information and to download the full survey reports, visit the WBL Champion website.
