GWU: Vocational skills deserve the same recognition, investment and respect

9 Sep 2026 - GWU - Youths | Home | News | Politics | Sections

The General Workers’ Union (GWU) refers to the ongoing public discussion concerning the Ministry for Education’s proposal on the future of vocational education at secondary level.

The GWU has always upheld the principle that manual, technical and practical skills are no less valuable to our economy and society than any other form of talent.

Behind every industry, every service and every workplace in this country are workers whose skills, developed and refined over the years, help keep Malta moving.

These skills deserve recognition, investment and respect, not as an inferior alternative to academic achievement, but as a valuable and legitimate pathway in their own right.

This principle underpins the Union’s position on the proposal: every student who demonstrates talent in practical, technical or vocational skills deserves an educational pathway that enables them to fulfil their potential, with the same seriousness, quality and opportunity for a successful future as any other student.

The Union represents thousands of workers in trades and technical professions whose contribution has helped build, and continues to build, this country. Their experience demonstrates that practical and technical talent can lead to rewarding, well-paid and respected careers, just like any other form of achievement, when individuals are properly supported and given the tools they need to succeed.

For this reason, the GWU insists that any new educational pathway must be designed with the genuine involvement of workers, trade unions and industry, and should not simply be based on models adopted in the past.

Quality, dignity and genuine opportunity must be at the heart of any reform, ensuring that no student who chooses this pathway is made to feel that their talent is worth less.

The GWU looks forward to contributing to this process so that every student with practical and technical talent in Malta and Gozo is given a genuine pathway to reach their full potential.