The skills gap in the igaming sector in Malta

Abstract

The widely accepted job-skills mismatch theory and the conventional wisdom regarding the local Igaming industry’s foreign employees offer poor guidance in addressing this problem confronting both local institutions and the local government. The relevance of this study lies in the fact that no work of this kind has been conducted prior to its writing analysing the skills gap in the Igaming sector. The analysis of the skills gap was mainly focused on the level of employees working in this sector. This despite the fact that this sector has been present for more than ten years and rapidly growing in Malta for the past four years. This study shall not only provide the reader with insight regarding the level of employment in the sector, but also with an analysis of the jobs that are being offered by the operators. This study also analysis whether such posts, according to category are being occupied by Maltese or foreigners. However the author did not only rely on quantitative data analysis, but also strived to gather qualitative analysis to gain further insight of the sector and the skills gap. The results from the qualitative data were very close to those obtained through the quantitative, however the qualitative data provided the author with answers to questions that rose from the previous results. This data, as the reader shall notice, affirmed what the quantitative data had established with regards to the skills gap in the igaming sector. Information regarding the future of the igaming sector in Malta was also gathered through meetings with the authorities responsible for the sector. The author also analysed whether educational institutions in Malta are in line with the future of the sector by offering courses and providing candidates with the skills required to address the skills mismatch. Igaming companies in Malta offer recruits and potential employees training and learning opportunities, mainly because most recruits require further training before they are ready to join the firm and secondly because most recruits possess certain skills but lack others that will help the entity maintain a competitive advantage. Operators provide candidates with additional skills in order for those employees to become multi-skilled, efficient and successful. Lastly the study indicates that firms are aware of the skills gap and state that are ready to help the authorities to address this gap, however as long as they do not find local talent, they will continue to explore foreign markets. The conclusions presented here will facilitate more effective targeting of local development efforts towards addressing the skills gap in the igaming sector.