The MGA announces the setting up of the European Gaming Institute of Malta (EGIM)

The European Gaming Institute of Malta (EGIM) was officially launched yesterday following an agreement signed between the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) and Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST).

The agreement was signed during a press conference which was addressed by the Minister for Education and Employment, Hon. Evarist Bartolo, Parliamentary Secretary for Financial Services, Digital Economy and Innovation, Hon. Silvio Schembri, the MGA’s Executive Chairman, Joseph Cuschieri and President of the MCAST Board, Dr Silvio De Bono.

This strategic initiative is the start of a journey which will lead to the development of talent in the gaming sector and the creation of more long term careers for both local and foreign students, through educational programmes which will enhance the sustainability and growth of the workforce in today’s digital economy.

The MGA will be supporting EGIM for the development of its educational programmes pertaining to the Gaming industry but will also be enabling the transfer of the industry’s knowledge to MCAST. The curricula will further the educational development in areas relevant to this sector in today’s digital economy.

The MGA’s Executive Chairman, Joseph Cuschieri stated that: “This project has been in the pipeline for more than two years and I am delighted that we are launching EGIM in partnership with MCAST. I believe that this partnership will provide the right quality in educational programmes and will go a long way in addressing the skills gap and the supply of more talented individuals to join the growing remote gaming sector.”

Dr. Silvio De Bono, President of the MCAST Board remarked how: “The gaming sector contributes €1.2 billion to the Maltese economy – 12 per cent of GDP. It certainly has room to grow however we need to encourage the young people to begin looking at professions in the iGaming industries which are a reality of today’s digital age. This is us reacting to the industry’s demand.  Today’s setup of EGIM is the cornerstone of tomorrow’s workforce in this digital revolution. I encourage you to visit our website and discover what EGIM and MCAST can do for you.”

Hon. Silvio Schembri, Parliamentary Secretary for Financial services, Digital Economy and Innovation stated that: “The signing of the agreement is a clear sign of the Government’s commitment to address the issue of skills mismatch while continuing to strengthen the iGaming industry. The agreement is a sign of walking the talk. Students will now have the tools to pursue a sustainable career in the iGaming industry.” Hon. Schembri added that now he looks forward to see more Maltese students contributing to the thriving gaming industry.

Hon. Evarist Bartolo, Minister for Education and Employment said that: “Matching the skills to jobs is proving to be a major task and the biggest stumbling block. We need our people to be both qualified and skilled. Words alone are not enough and we have taken another step in addressing this issue by launching a new project that matches the skills to demands being created by the industry.”