A new scheme aimed at offering health and safety training and certification of competence to construction workers has been proposed by the Maltese government. The Ministry of Social Dialogue and the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Building Industry Consultative Council published a White Paper to propose this scheme.
The scheme consists of five skill cards for apprentices, labourers and operators, skilled labourers with a minimum of three years' experience as well as professionals such as architects who need site management skills. The trades falling beneath this scheme include plumbers, electricians, painters and tile layers. The Malta Developers Association positively acknowledged the skill cards scheme, as it will ensure a higher level of professionalism and safety on construction sites as well as give recognition and raise quality, health and safety standards within the construction industry.
The scheme will become mandatory in five years' time and the cardholders would need to renew it every five years through successfully completing health and safety courses as well as courses aimed at innovation within the industry. Being closely linked to real estate, this might also be good news for the local property market.
A higher level of quality and professionalism in construction work will result in high quality new property being developed and this will help Malta's real estate market maintain its current quality and become even more competitive, particularly within the luxury sector where quality is key.
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