This chapter provides an overview of the key insights and recommendations for strengthening Malta’s skills system. It describes the context and structure of the National Skills Strategy and introduces the complementary sectoral strategy for Malta’s maritime sectors. The chapter also presents an overview of the eight priority topics and 30 recommendations of the National Skills Strategy, as well as a summary of the Action Plan, including the implementation plan and monitoring and evaluation framework. These elements are discussed in greater detail in Chapters 2, 3, and 4.
A National Skills Strategy and Action Plan for Malta
Abstract
Turning global megatrends into opportunities for Malta’s skills system
Skills are central to Malta’s vision of enhancing citizens’ quality of life, strengthening the country’s economic and social foundations, and building a resilient, ambitious and dynamic future for all (Ministry for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects (MEEP), 2025[1]). Across the globe, megatrends such as the net-zero transition, digital transformation, and demographic change are reshaping education and work. With a strategic approach to skills, Malta cannot only adapt to these shifts, but also leverage them as opportunities for sustainable growth, thereby contributing to the European Union’s Competitiveness Compass and advancing the Union of Skills.
Malta has successfully established core governance structures and policy frameworks to support effective skills development and use throughout the life course. As a result, the country has made significant progress in strengthening learning and enhancing the skills of the population. Over the past decade, the country has significantly reduced the share of early leavers from education and training (ELET), achieving one of the steepest declines in the EU. Enrolment in higher education continues to increase, surpassing the EU average and EU-level targets, and Malta is increasingly being seen as an attractive learning mobility destination in Europe (European Commission, 2024[2]). Participation in adult learning has also risen, aided by incentives and improved recognition of prior learning, and is now at par with EU-level targets (Eurostat, 2025[3]; OECD, 2025[4]).
Malta’s labour market also makes intensive use of available skills, underpinned by strong employment outcomes and sustained labour demand. The country records one of the lowest unemployment rates in the European Union (2.7%, compared with an EU average of 6% in Q3 2025), indicating a very tight labour market (Eurostat, 2025[5]). Labour demand is correspondingly high, with a job vacancy rate of 3.3% in Q4 2025 – surpassed only by Belgium and the Netherlands across the EU (Eurostat, 2025[6]). Looking ahead, Malta is also projected to experience the highest employment growth in the EU by 2035 (Cedefop, 2024[7]).
However, despite this strong performance, persistent challenges remain. These challenges begin as early as compulsory education, with Maltese students scoring below the OECD average in mathematics, reading and science in the latest round of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (OECD, 2023[8]). This comparatively weak performance in skills continues well into adulthood, with 36% of adults in Malta having low levels of skills in comparison to the EU average of 25% in 2021 (OECD, 2025[4]). Moreover, Malta has a smaller share of research and development (R&D) personnel than the EU average, suggesting that there is room to drive demand for higher-level skills and expand opportunities in higher-value sectors (Eurostat, 2024[9]). Without action, these skills gaps risk undermining Malta’s productivity, innovation and competitiveness.
Towards a coherent National Skills Strategy for Malta
In response to skills challenges, Malta has increasingly embedded skills-related objectives into national strategies, including Malta Vision 2050 and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). These strategies highlight reskilling and upskilling as effective policy levers to help Malta successfully adapt to global megatrends such as the digital and net-zero transitions (Ministry for the Economy, Enterprise and Strategic Projects (MEEP), 2025[1]; European Parliament, 2025[10]). In addition, the creation of the National Skills Council in 2023 further reinforced the centrality of skills policy in Malta (National Skills Council, 2025[11]; OECD, 2025[4]).
Building on these efforts, Malta formally launched in 2024 the development of a national skills strategy and a corresponding action plan for its implementation, requesting technical support from the EU. Until then, skills policy had not been addressed within a unified, strategic, and inclusive framework (OECD, 2025[4]). Such a strategy is essential, given that skills policies are located at the intersection of education, labour market, industrial and other policy domains (OECD, 2019[12]). A coherent skills strategy can provide a clear roadmap for achieving Malta Vision 2050, foster a shared agenda among stakeholders, and mobilise resources for timely reforms (OECD, 2019[12]; OECD, 2024[13]).
The project “Developing a skills strategy for Malta and its maritime sector” is funded by the European Union through the Technical Support Instrument (TSI) and implemented by the OECD in co‑operation with the European Commission. It is led nationally by the National Skills Council and Transport Malta. This project supported Malta to develop and implement a national skills strategy and corresponding action plan. Multiple government entities and stakeholders have been engaged (see Figure 1.1) to identify skills gaps, formulate policy solutions based on international best practices, and build consensus for reform.
Source: Questionnaire filled out by Malta; research and stakeholder consultations by the OECD Centre for Skills.
The project is well-aligned with EU policy priorities, including: the European Skills Agenda (Actions 1, 2, 3 6 and 12); the European Pillar of Social Rights (Principles 1, 3, 4 and 8); the 2030 Digital Compass 2030; the Council Recommendation on the 2023 Malta National Reform Programme on the provision of skills for the green transition; and EU investments through the European Social Fund+ to support initiatives for green skills (EUR 3 million) and scholarship schemes (EUR 6.75 million). In addition, the project also supports Malta in achieving EU headline targets, including achieving at least 60% of adults participating in yearly training, as well as the European Education Area targets on basic, tertiary and digital skills. Furthermore, the project advances EU recommendations from the European Semester and the European Year of Skills 2023, promoting the acquisition of green skills and improving the labour market relevance of education and training to reduce skills shortages and mismatches (OECD, 2025[4]).
While tailored to Malta’s specific context, the report offers valuable insights for OECD Member countries facing similar challenges in adapting skills systems to rapid economic and technological change. Several recommendations – such as strengthening skills intelligence systems, expanding lifelong learning participation, and enhancing workplace learning, particularly for SMEs – are highly relevant across OECD contexts. Moreover, the combination of a national skills strategy with a dedicated sectoral approach, illustrated by the maritime action plan (see next section), provides a practical example of how countries can develop targeted, industry-specific action alongside broader strategic priorities. This model may serve as a useful reference for OECD Members seeking to better align skills policies with the needs of key sectors.
The National Skills Strategy in Malta is also guided by the OECD Skills Strategy framework (see Box 1.1), which has been applied in over 25 economies, including 14 EU Member States. Over the years, the OECD Skills Strategy framework has demonstrated its value as a tool for assessing the performance of skills systems, as well as generating tailored policy recommendations for strengthening skills systems (OECD, 2019[12]).
OECD Skills Strategy projects provide a strategic and comprehensive approach to assessing countries’ skills challenges and opportunities and building more effective skills systems. The OECD collaborates with countries to develop policy responses tailored to each country’s specific skills challenges and needs. The foundation of this approach is the OECD Skills Strategy Framework, the components of which are:
Developing relevant skills over the life course: To ensure that countries are able to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing world, all people need access to opportunities to develop and maintain strong proficiency in a broad set of skills. This process is lifelong, starting in childhood and youth and continuing throughout adulthood. It is also “life‑wide”, occurring both formally in schools and higher education, and non-formally and informally in the home, community and workplaces.
Using skills effectively in work and society: Developing a strong and broad set of skills is just the first step. To ensure that countries and people gain the full economic and social value from investments in developing skills, people also need opportunities, encouragement and incentives to use their skills fully and effectively at work and in society.
Strengthening the governance of skills systems: Success in developing and using relevant skills requires strong governance arrangements to promote co‑ordination, co‑operation and collaboration across the whole of government; engage stakeholders throughout the policy cycle; build integrated information systems; and align and co‑ordinate financing arrangements.
Source: OECD (2019[12]), OECD Skills Strategy 2019: Skills to Shape a Better Future, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264313835-en.
In Malta, the framework was applied to review performance and identify opportunities for improvement. Drawing on OECD and EU data, expert analysis, and stakeholder insights, the National Skills Strategy sets out 30 policy recommendations for strengthening skills development, use, and governance. The recommendations presented in this report were developed by the OECD before Malta's national public consultation. Following the consultation, the Maltese authorities are further refining the National Skills Strategy and Action Plan as part of the national adoption process.
At the start of the project, three overarching objectives were identified through desk-based analysis and subsequently validated with Maltese stakeholders and the Advisory Group. These are general objectives that have informed the analysis and cut across the recommendations:
Developing future skills for the digital and net-zero transitions: As Malta advances towards digitalisation and a net-zero economy, new skills are essential to maximise emerging opportunities and meet future workforce demands. To this end, the policy recommendations prioritise skills in areas such as environmental sustainability, digital and AI literacy, transversal skills, entrepreneurship, practical expertise, and research and innovation.
Aligning the skills strategy with national priority and goals: The recommendations have been verified for coherence with key Maltese policy documents, notably Malta Vision 2050, the Smart Specialisation Strategy, the National Education Strategy 2024-2030, the National Lifelong Learning Strategy 2023-2030, the National Strategic Action Plan for Further and Higher Education, and the National Employment Policy, among many others (see Figure 1.2). This alignment ensures coherence, avoids duplication, and promotes efficient use of resources.
Strengthening the skills of specific learner groups: Providing tailored skills development opportunities for specific groups can help close skills gaps, promote equity, and make Malta’s skills system more inclusive. Some examples of groups in Malta that would benefit from targeted skills initiatives are adults with low education levels, learners from migrant backgrounds with low literacy in English and Maltese, and persons with physical or mental disabilities.
In parallel to the National Skills Strategy, a strategy and skills Action Plan for Malta’s maritime sector was developed. While the national strategy provides the overarching vision, the maritime work translates this into concrete, sector-specific actions for a priority sector, aligned with Malta Vision 2050 and the Smart Specialisation Strategy. Together, these two strands provide a stronger and more coherent basis for policy action.
The strategy and action plan provide clear direction for reducing skills gaps and strengthening skills outcomes in Malta’s maritime sector. They comprise five strategic recommendations and ten actions, addressing challenges across all stages of the skills pipeline. More specifically, the recommendations aim to enhance Malta’s capacity to systematically monitor, anticipate, and respond to emerging skills needs in the maritime sector. They are based on the main challenges identified through desk research, analysis of international good practices, and input from sector stakeholders, and are further informed by a dedicated skills gap analysis of the maritime sector. The methodology developed could serve as a template for future sectoral skills strategies in Malta.
Chapter 4 provides an overview of the recommendations for the maritime sector, while a more detailed assessment and description can be found in the reports “Results of the analysis for Malta’s maritime sector (Output 4)” (OECD, 2025[14]) and the “Action Plan proposal for reforming Malta’s maritime skills provision (Output 6)” (OECD, 2026[15]).
Based on OECD analysis and TSI consultations with stakeholders, the project team identified eight priority topics at the start of the project to reflect Malta’s national priorities for skills policy. Across these priority topics, the OECD, the European Commission and the National Skills Council developed 30 evidence‑informed policy recommendations (see Figure 1.3) that were revised to consider feedback from Maltese authorities and stakeholders.
A summary of the recommendations is presented below, while Chapter 2 presents detailed descriptions of each recommendation, including context and relevant international practices.
Priority Topic 1: Identifying skills needs through better assessment, forecast and foresight exercises
Skills assessment and anticipation (SAA) exercises provide essential intelligence on current and future skills needs, enabling policymakers to address mismatches and design targeted interventions contributing to Malta’s competitiveness. In Malta, strengthening national SAA capacity is a top priority, as existing initiatives are fragmented and inconsistent, contributing to over-qualification, underutilised human capital, and reduced productivity.
1. Establish the Malta Skills Observatory as a dedicated working group to oversee a coherent approach to skills assessment and anticipation (SAA). It is recommended that Malta establish the Malta Skills Observatory, a dedicated SAA working group that is led by the National Skills Council and includes key government and non-government stakeholders. Tasked to strengthen co‑ordination and governance of skills intelligence, the group is expected to meet regularly and deliver tangible outputs to guide evidence‑informed policy and education planning.
2. Design a national SAA methodology and strengthen strategic foresight capacity to identify skills needs in line with national policy frameworks. It is recommended that Malta implement a unified national SAA methodology and strengthen strategic foresight in government to anticipate skills needs, improve labour market responsiveness, and guide long-term education and workforce planning in line with Malta Vision 2050 and Malta’s Smart Specialisation Strategy.
3. Introduce sectoral and firm-level SAA methodologies to provide more nuanced, localised assessments of skills demand. It is recommended that Malta complement national-level SAA with sectoral and local analyses to capture sectoral and firm-level skills needs, particularly in the Smart Specialisation priority areas and emerging fields linked to the net-zero and digital transitions. Strengthening stakeholder engagement and investing in national registers can improve data quality and efficiency.
Priority Topic 2: Improving the dissemination of skills information and strengthening career guidance services
Malta provides strong career guidance through schools and adult learning centres, but many adults remain unaware of available services, and skills information is fragmented and underused by guidance professionals. Improving the accessibility, timeliness, and relevance of skills intelligence is essential to help learners and key stakeholders make informed decisions and support workforce development for the digital and net-zero transitions.
4. Launch a dynamic skills intelligence platform to disseminate timely, regularly updated insights on evolving skills needs. It is recommended that Malta consolidate its career guidance and skills information into a single, interactive digital platform, offering labour market data and SAA results alongside user-friendly tools for skills assessment. The platform could offer dynamic, tailored interfaces for both the general public and career guidance professionals. To maximise accessibility, it could be made available in mobile‑friendly formats and include multilingual features.
5. Publish the Employment and Skills Barometer in partnership with Jobsplus to provide a more detailed analysis of skills trends in an accessible format. It is recommended that Malta publish the barometer every two years to summarise skills and employment trends, using data collected by the NSO and Jobsplus in addition to employer surveys. The barometer could also include labour market trends derived from national, sectoral and local SAA exercises.
6. Explore the introduction of a universal career guidance service for all individuals to support job mobility and progression. It is recommended that Malta introduce a centralised service that offers free, personalised career guidance support to all individuals regardless of their profile or employment status. Existing providers may play a role in delivering these services according to their target groups (e.g. Jobsplus for jobseekers). It is important for Malta to promote the service as an accessible, lifelong resource available throughout individuals’ learning and working lives.
7. Strengthen parents’ involvement in career guidance through enhanced school engagement mechanisms. It is recommended that Malta strengthen parental engagement in career guidance by enhancing the ExploreMore platform – including by linking it to the dynamic skills intelligence platform (see Recommendation 5) and real-time labour market insights from SAA exercises (Priority Topic 1). Malta could also expand outreach through multiple familiar channels, as well as integrating career guidance into parent-focussed school events throughout the schooling journey.
Priority Topic 3: Empowering educators and school leaders for future‑ready education
Developing future‑ready and transversal skills is a central priority in Malta’s education system. However, challenges remain, particularly in relation to teacher shortages in certain areas. Addressing these requires building an innovative and resilient educator workforce and strengthening school leadership, supported by structural reforms to teacher salaries, curriculum overload and rigid assessment practices.
8. Assess the feasibility of introducing individual learning accounts (ILAs) and piloting the ILA scheme with education practitioners. It is recommended that Malta pilot ILAs or alternative tools such as training vouchers to promote teachers’ autonomy in their training choices and participation. Eligible training offers could prioritise training in skills for innovative pedagogy, digitalisation, and the net-zero transition.
9. Develop competency frameworks for education practitioners to strengthen professional standards and skills development. It is recommended that Malta develop a competency framework that integrates subject expertise and pedagogical skills, structured across progressive levels of complexity. It is important to describe competences in clear, observable, and action-oriented terms, directly linked to everyday school activities such as teaching, learning, and assessment.
10. Strengthen training for school leaders to improve leadership skills and promote a learning culture among school personnel. It is recommended that Malta introduce structured, accessible leadership training programmes for school leaders, solidifying their understanding of their roles in promoting teacher training and introducing them to evidence‑informed practices that foster a culture of learning in schools.
11. Establish digital platforms and networks for informal learning among educators to regularly exchange best practices in pedagogy and assessment. It is recommended that Malta enhance existing platforms used by teachers, such as Eskola, to provide virtual spaces for peer mentoring, community discussions, and the exchange of pedagogical practices supporting the acquisition of skills for the digital and net-zero transitions.
12. Implement targeted information campaigns to promote the teaching profession and prevent teacher shortages. It is recommended that Malta complement past and existing awareness raising initiatives by launching an information campaign targeted to non-traditional audiences such as career changers, as well as young parents and their children. The design of the campaign could be enhanced by a study examining barriers to entry into the teaching profession and factors attracting potential applicants.
Priority Topic 4: Equipping learners of all ages with skills for the future
Malta is increasingly prioritising the development of future‑ready skills in compulsory education and is seeking to further reinforce these skills across the life course. Developing a strong foundation for green, digital and transversal skills in childhood, and providing opportunities to develop these skills in adulthood, can help Malta build a future‑ready workforce capable of thriving in rapidly changing labour markets.
13. Establish a future‑focussed skills museum to foster transversal skills through non-formal and informal learning. It is recommended that Malta establish a future‑focussed immersive museum, with an emphasis on developing transversal skills such as creativity, innovation, and critical thinking. This museum could be promoted as a resource that is open to learners of all ages.
14. Integrate green skills across all education and training levels to prepare the workforce for the net-zero transition. It is recommended that Malta conduct a comprehensive mapping of how green skills are currently embedded in educational curricula to identify further opportunities for integration. Malta could also incorporate green skills into educator competency frameworks and training, as well as national education standards.
15. Promote vocational education and training (VET) as a rewarding pathway for acquiring high-value digital and green skills. It is recommended that Malta implement targeted information and awareness-raising initiatives to improve perceptions of VET, working closely with career guidance services. This could include bringing VET role models into schools, providing accessible information on jobs for the digital and net-zero transitions, and promoting participation in skills competitions.
16. Identify priority areas for specialised post-graduate qualifications or awards1 to ensure a steady supply of skills for the digital and net-zero transitions. It is recommended that Malta uses the results of SAA exercises from the Malta Skills Observatory to identify priority skilling areas. In developing new qualifications, it is important to promote a co-creation approach between higher education institutions and employers, as well as collaborate with career guidance services to encourage uptake among learners.
17. Conduct an in-depth evaluation of Malta’s quality assurance system to streamline processes and strengthen future‑readiness. It is recommended that Malta consult regulatory bodies, educational institutions, employers and learners to examine key process issues, as well as identify opportunities to integrate future skills into quality assurance frameworks. The study may produce evidence‑informed recommendations on the way forward, complemented by guidance on how to implement the recommendations in practice.
Priority Topic 5: Encouraging and incentivising adults to participate in learning activities
Encouraging adult learning in Malta is crucial to equip workers with skills for the digital and net-zero transitions, but motivation remains largely driven by external rewards. Many adults may therefore perceive little immediate need to upskill, especially in the context of a tight labour market. Participation is also constrained by logistical barriers, such as time pressures, highlighting the need for flexible, accessible learning pathways, particularly for disadvantaged groups with lower educational attainment.
18. Complement existing awareness-raising initiatives with a comprehensive, integrated national campaign to promote lifelong learning. It is recommended that Malta prepare a comprehensive nationwide campaign to promote lifelong learning, targeting diverse audiences with tailored messaging and multiple communication channels. To ensure inclusivity, the campaign could collaborate with trusted intermediaries and highlight flexible, accessible skilling opportunities that address barriers and emphasise the benefits of continuous upskilling.
19. Strengthen existing incentives for adult learners by increasing benefits and/or easing eligibility criteria for target groups to encourage training in areas of skills shortage. It is recommended that Malta review its range of existing incentives and explore how to increase the value of subsidies, offer more time allowance, and ease eligibility criteria for select sectors and disadvantaged groups. It is important to inform decisions on eligible sectors and target groups by the results of SAA exercises, with particular attention to skills needed for the digital and net-zero transitions.
20. Increase uptake of recognition of prior learning (RPL) and validation of non-formal and informal learning (VINFL), with a particular focus on disadvantaged groups. It is recommended to increase visibility and uptake of Malta’s RPL initiatives – especially among disadvantaged adults – and scale up outreach in key sectors. Data collection and assessing outcomes is essential to ensuring these services effectively support access to education, training, and labour market opportunities.
Priority Topic 6: Incentivising employers to stimulate learning in their organisations
Employers are crucial in addressing Malta’s skills challenges by providing relevant, high-quality training that supports both individual career development and firm adaptability to digital and net-zero transitions. However, many Maltese employers, particularly SMEs, face constraints such as limited time, resources, and concerns over employee turnover, resulting in below-average training provision compared with the EU27. Strengthening employer engagement in adult learning is therefore essential to close skills gaps, enhance workforce capabilities, and boost Malta’s competitiveness.
21. Assess the feasibility of introducing legislation on training during working hours, training leave, and payback clauses. It is recommended that Malta undertake feasibility studies on introducing legislation mandating training during working hours, prioritising transversal, digital, and green skills. In parallel, it could help to explore a training leave policy with a wage replacement scheme to support employers in shouldering costs. To safeguard employer investments, Malta may also assess the feasibility of introducing payback clauses, defining eligible training and including provisions for insolvency and extra-judicial settlement.
22. Strengthen workplace learning through the provision of practical tools and support tailored to SMEs and micro‑enterprises. It is recommended that Malta equip enterprises with practical tools to assess training needs, such as accessible self-assessment instruments tailored to SMEs and micro‑enterprises. Malta can also encourage low-cost forms of informal workplace learning, such as job rotation and mentoring, by raising awareness of their benefits and available incentives.
23. Match readily available trainers with enterprises – particularly SMEs – to ensure reliable access to expertise. It is recommended that the NSC collaborate with the Chamber of SMEs to identify enterprises with training needs but that lack the necessary expertise to deliver training. These enterprises could then be matched with available trainers who can provide training during working hours. Malta could also explore establishing partnerships with foreign training providers to increase the supply of additional trainers and introduce international expertise.
Priority Topic 7: Making better use of available domestic and foreign talent
Developing relevant and advanced skills is essential, but their effective use in work and society is equally important to maximise economic and social returns. For Malta, ensuring full utilisation of both domestic and foreign workforce skills is vital for competitiveness, particularly given the country’s high projected employment growth and focus on smart specialisation areas. Opportunities remain to strengthen skills use, including expanding management capabilities, enhancing enterprise capacity for innovation, and increasing retention levels of highly qualified professionals.
24. Provide user-friendly information and targeted support to help firms – particularly SMEs – adopt workplace productivity practices.2 It is recommended that Malta provide a comprehensive suite of resources (e.g. diagnostic tools, information sheets) through a centralised online platform. This could be complemented by mentoring and coaching for managers and HR personnel, as well as financial subsidies to engage external experts in organisational management and innovation. Peer learning networks could further reinforce these efforts.
25. Support enterprise leaders and managers to promote strategic foresight and workplace innovation, and stimulate demand for higher-level skills. It is recommended that Malta provide targeted training in innovation management and strategic foresight to encourage enterprise leaders and managers to integrate creativity and entrepreneurship into daily operations. This may be complemented with mentorship and networking opportunities to build capacity in developing growth strategies, emphasising the creation of demand for high-skilled roles aligned with the digital and net-zero transitions.
26. Enhance validation systems to enable the effective use of skills card3 systems and examine the feasibility of extending their application and integrating them into existing digital platforms. It is recommended that Malta examine how to improve its validation system to support the effective expansion of the skills cards into other sectors. It is important to co‑ordinate with the thematic committees mentioned in Recommendation 29 to define sector-specific skills and standards and determine the validity periods for the skills cards. Malta could also consider integrating the skills cards into existing digital infrastructure, such as BlockCerts via e‑ID, to improve cost-efficiency and user familiarity.
27. Develop a certificate recognising transversal skills to strengthen workers’ employability and support skills-based hiring practices. It is recommended that Malta explore the development of a process to assess and validate transversal skills that aligns with existing national frameworks. The process should draw on a variety of assessment methods to recognise transversal skills acquired in schools, workplaces, volunteering, and community activities.
28. Conduct a study on the causes, scale and socio‑economic impact of brain drain to inform policies for talent retention and attraction. It is recommended that Malta undertake a comprehensive study to assess brain drain, examining both push (factors driving emigration) and pull (factors attracting workers abroad) factors using multiple data sources (e.g. graduate tracer surveys, migration registers, stakeholder consultations). Based on these findings, Malta could consider developing a talent repatriation strategy with incentives such as tax breaks, as well as a diaspora engagement strategy.
Priority Topic 8: Strengthening the governance of the skills system
Effective implementation of Malta’s National Skills Strategy requires co‑ordinated engagement across government, industry, and civil society, yet Malta has scope to strengthen strategic capacity, inter-ministerial co‑ordination, evidence‑informed policymaking, and implementation compared with EU peers.
29. Strengthen skills co‑ordination to better align skills supply and demand in the thematic areas of Malta’s Smart Specialisation Strategy. It is recommended to consider assigning additional functions to existing thematic committees (sector-specific), set up in relation to the Smart Specialisation Strategy through a clearer and more formalised mandate for skills‑related co‑ordination. Under this approach, the thematic committees could be formally tasked with addressing both demand- and supply-side dimensions of skills policy within their respective sectors, drawing on evidence from skills assessment and anticipation (SAA) exercises (see Recommendations 2 and 3). This would represent an expansion of their current advisory role, moving beyond strategic discussion to include structured input on skills needs, training provision and workforce development, while remaining aligned with the objectives of the Smart Specialisation Strategy. Where relevant, new Industry Skills Alliances could be established in other strategic sectors of the Maltese economy where thematic committees do not yet exist, particularly in line with the Malta Vision 2050.
30. Regularly review action plans and strengthen reporting mechanisms to ensure that the strategy remains a living document and supports effective and responsive implementation. It is recommended that Malta adopt shorter, regularly renewed action plans with clear timelines for each policy recommendation, monitored through a designated contact point in the National Skills Council. Minor ad hoc adjustments could be agreed upon with stakeholders to ensure responsiveness to evolving labour market needs, while ensuring timely delivery.
This report also sets out a detailed action plan to implement the 30 recommendations of the National Skills Strategy. It contains both a concrete implementation plan for the recommendations (presented in Chapter 2), and guidelines for establishing a monitoring and evaluation framework for their implementation (Chapter 3).
An implementation plan
This report presents a concrete implementation plan for the 30 recommendations of the National Skills Strategy. The plan specifies for each recommendation in Chapter 2 the proposed roles, timelines, relative cost, and potential funding sources.
Roles (policy owner and partners): To ensure accountability, each recommendation is assigned a “policy owner” responsible for leading implementation, sometimes it is distinguished between a lead and a co-lead. In most cases, this is the entity with the greatest administrative involvement in the recommendation, although exceptions exist. In some cases, the role of the policy owner is to provide external oversight and ensure that implementing entities fulfil their designated responsibilities. The policy owner typically also supports monitoring and evaluation by providing input to the evaluator on implementation progress. The implementation plan also describes the partner entities expected to be actively involved in the implementation of the recommendation.
Timeline: The timeline is structured into three phases of implementation for the period 2026-2035. Each subsequent phase spans a larger range of years – Phase 1 (2026-2027), Phase 2 (2028-2030) and Phase 3 (2031-2035) – reflecting that the farther into the future the implementation period, the harder it is to pinpoint specific timelines. The phases also coincide with two distinct EU multiannual financial frameworks – 2021-2027 and 2028-2034. Following each implementation period, an evaluation could be conducted to assess the implementation of the recommendations to date, propose adjustments for their continued implementation, and develop more concrete timelines for the next stage of implementation.
Relative costing and administrative complexity: While precise costing of initiatives is constrained by the absence of detailed government data, the OECD has classified each recommendation as low, moderate, or high in terms of two cost dimensions: relative costs (direct costs associated with the implementation of the recommendation, such as the sum of money transferred to employers to subsidise apprenticeships) and administrative complexity (indirect transaction costs such as the costs incurred by government in designing policies, ongoing operation of policies (e.g. reviewing applications to determine eligibility of recipients), and monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of policies). Where possible, international or domestic benchmarks are provided to guide Maltese officials in estimating likely expenditure.
Possible funding sources: Potential funding sources, such as specific government budgets, EU funding mechanisms or contributions from other stakeholders such as employers and education and training providers, have been identified for each recommendation, drawing on comparable initiatives abroad, past experience in Malta, and the mandates of relevant national entities.
This implementation plan is grounded in desk research and has been validated through extensive consultation with stakeholders from Malta.
Figure 1.4 presents the timelines for the proposed recommendations over the ten‑year implementation period. Each implementation phase should conclude with an evaluation report prepared by either the NSC or MEYR and its Policy Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate (PMED), as outlined in Chapter 3.
Although multiple stakeholders are involved in the implementation of every recommendation, each specific action has also been assigned a policy owner who would lead and oversee the implementation. Figure 1.5 provides an overview of these lead policy owners and the recommendations for which they are responsible.
A monitoring and evaluation framework
Chapter 3 describes how effective monitoring and evaluation are essential for tracking the implementation of Malta’s National Skills Strategy, ensuring resources are used efficiently, and building public trust through accountability (OECD, 2024[16]). A well-designed framework provides reliable, timely information on the uptake of policy measures, supports evidence‑based decision making, and facilitates learning to improve future policies (OECD, 2023[17]). Challenges such as limited technical capacity, data quality issues, and a lack of integrated systems can affect the effectiveness of monitoring efforts (OECD, 2020[18]).
Indicators for measuring implementation progress
The proposed monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework relies on indicators that capture progress at different stages of implementation. These include input indicators (resources allocated), output indicators (provision and uptake), outcome indicators (effects on participants), and impact indicators (broader societal effects) (OECD, 2021[19]). Early identification of indicators ensures reliable data collection and supports assessment of policy impact over time (OECD, 2020[18]; OECD, 2021[20]).
Tables in Annex 3. A present a proposed set of indicators to measure inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impacts for the 30 recommendations of the National Skills Strategy. The indicators have been selected in line with the descriptions above and could directly inform the government of Malta’s monitoring and evaluation of the recommendations.
The process of measuring implementation progress
Monitoring and evaluation of the National Skills Strategy is a continuous process involving data collection, analyses, dissemination, and policy development. Regarding the collection of data, Malta should rely primarily on existing data systems to track agreed indicators, assigning clear responsibilities to ensure timely and reliable reporting. Where new information is required, lead policy owners should collect it, as they possess the most comprehensive understanding of progress.
Periodic evaluations are recommended at the end of Phase 1 (2026‑2027), Phase 2 (2028‑2030), and Phase 3 (2031‑2035). The interim evaluations (after Phases 1 and 2) would help identify any adjustments required to the actions or timelines for subsequent phases, while the final evaluation at the end of Phase 3 would provide a comprehensive assessment of outcomes and overall effectiveness. Malta already has institutional capacity through the Policy Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate (PMED) within the MEYR, which could conduct mid-term and final evaluations, while the NSC could lead the first-phase review and oversee overall implementation. Alternatively, Malta could consider external reviews, which could enhance credibility, objectivity, and benchmarking capacity.
Effective dissemination and use of findings are essential. Evaluation results should be communicated through tailored reports and stakeholder engagement, and formal feedback loops should ensure that evidence informs future policy design, resource allocation, and programme adjustments. Embedding such mechanisms supports adaptive policymaking, strengthens accountability, and fosters a culture of evidence‑based governance, thereby improving the long-term responsiveness and coherence of the skills system.
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← 1. In Malta, awards are certifications for programmes with less than the required number of European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits to be considered a qualification at a specific MQF level. Awards are equivalent to micro-credentials and are also known as short courses (MFHEA, 2024[21]).
← 2. Workplace productivity practices are defined as practices that aim to improve work organisation and job design (e.g. teamwork, autonomy, task discretion, mentoring, job rotation, applying new learning), as well as management practices (e.g. employee participation, incentive pay, training practices, flexibility in working hours) (OECD, 2019[12]; OECD, 2021[22]; Johnston and Hawke, 2002[23]). For a more detailed discussion, please consult Recommendation 24 in Chapter 2.
← 3. Skills cards are tools that capture formal, non-formal, and informal learning outcomes through standardised assessments, promoting a skill-based approach to hiring. They help strengthen skills utilisation by verifying individuals’ skills for work in specific industries and linking them to sectors with labour shortages (OECD, 2023[25]; ILO, 2023[24]). For a more detailed discussion, please consult Recommendation 26 in Chapter 2.