JA Malta Launches Retail Workforce Training In Collaboration with Knights College Under the Skills4Retail Project

JA Malta, in partnership with Knights College has launched the pilot phase of the Skills4Retail project, a European initiative designed to reskill, upskill, and empower Malta’s retail workforce in response to the sector’s urgent and evolving needs.

The Skills4Retail project, co-funded by the European Union, brings together a consortium of 30 organisations from across Europe, including educational institutions, retail associations, and industry experts. Over the past two years, the consortium has been dedicated to identifying skills gaps in the European retail sector, assessing training needs, and developing innovative pathways that support both employees and employers.

Building on this European research, JA Malta conducted a national survey to assess Malta’s specific retail workforce needs. The findings provided a clearer picture of local priorities,from enhancing digital and sustainability skills to improving management and workforce development structures within retail businesses.

In response, JA Malta and Knights College have now began implementing the Pilot of thetraining programmes, tailored to Malta’s retail landscape, offering two key pathways:

• ‍Pathway 1 – New Entrants to Retail and Students: Offering courses such asSustainability in Retail, E-commerce and Digital Retail, and Customer Experience, etc... These modules will equip new retail employees with the foundational knowledge, practical tools, and mindset required to stand out in today’s retail environment.‍
• Pathway 2 – Current Employees and Managers: Focused on Retail Workforce Management, this pathway supports HR professionals and team leaders in strengthening leadership and workforce planning, creating stronger, more adaptable retail operations.

The pilot aims to train, reskill, and upskill over 100 individuals across Malta, with the ambition to expand its reach in the coming year.

“There is an urgent need to recognise the retail sector not only as a cornerstone of Malta’s economy but also as a space for long term growth, development, and innovation” said Matthew Caruana, CEO of JA Malta. “Through Skills4Retail, we are raising awareness about the importance of this sector, encouraging more people to see retail as a viable and rewarding career path, and ensuring the skills and mindset needed to help it evolve.”

"Retail is a sector that deserves serious investment in people. This collaboration of Knights College with JA Malta is exactly the kind of initiative that bridges education and industry in a way that creates real, lasting value."

Kristina Galea Borg (College Principal), "The launch of this pilot marks a turning point in how retail training is developed and delivered in Malta by aligning local education and industry practice with a broader European vision for a more sustainable, digital, and resilient retail sector."

Through this pilot, JA Malta is inviting industry leaders, employers, and educators to join a national effort to reshape Malta’s retail landscape. Skills4Retail represents an opportunity to invest in people, modernise business practices, and ensure that the future of retail in Malta remains competitive, innovative, and inclusive.

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