Careers convention at university

Students should not expect to find their dream job as soon as they graduate from university, rector Roger Ellul Micallef said yesterday. He was speaking at the annual careers convention at the University of Malta.

On the other hand, Prof. Ellul Micallef recommended that graduates should keep an open mind and a flexible attitude. They should never go looking for work with a precise job description, expecting the best wages and conditions.

"One has to learn to adapt," he said.

The rector expressed hope that the Employment and Training Corporation would soon open an office on campus. A decision on this was reached about two years ago, he said.

Prof. Ellul Micallef spoke about the importance of student mobility. He said that when a student went to study abroad, he gained new experiences which would be useful in future.

MEP Joseph Muscat, who was invited to address the students, stressed the importance of research and development. He said this did not give immediate results, but there were long-term benefits. He said that when the government issued a call for applications for research and development projects, there was a high response.

Mr Muscat also spoke about self-employment and said it was vital for young people to embark on such ventures. He said a healthy economy was in fact based on small enterprises, many of which started on university campuses.

KSU social and political committee coordinator Sam Abela explained that the annual careers convention had produced satisfactory results. He said the convention aimed to help students choose an appropriate career, adding that this activity diminished the distance between education and work.

Among the exhibitors at the careers convention were Bank of Valletta and HSBC, the Union Haddiema Maghqudin and the General Workers' Union, and the ETC. A number of companies are also taking part. The convention runs until Thursday.