The Ministry for Gozo is again offering a series of courses aimed at enhancing human resources skills on Gozo, thus increasing employability and employment prospects on the island. The courses, in Literacy and Numeracy, and in Agriculture, are 75% co-financed by the European Union through the European Social Fund under the Structural Funds Programme for Malta 2004-2006.

The courses, coordinated by the University Gozo Centre, will seek to improve the basic skills of illiterate/quasi illiterate persons in Gozo through the provision of four courses, namely Basic English, Basic Maltese, Basic Numeracy and Basic Reading and Writing Skills. Each course will consist of 80 hours of tuition and will be delivered between mid-November and the end of February 2008.

The courses in Agriculture will seek to enhance the basic skills of those inclined to work and those already working in the agricultural sector. The courses to be offered include Poultry Production, Good Agricultural Practices, Pesticides Application and Use, Animal Health and Welfare, Water Management, Viticulture and Wine Production. Each course will consist of 24 hours of tuition and 4 hours practical session.

The new courses, which are also being offered free of charge, will follow the series of courses held specifically in Gozo through European Union funding, which already saw 430 Gozitans benefiting from 3 schemes and 50 courses.

Application Forms for these courses are currently available from the Short Courses Coordinator, c/o University Gozo Centre, Mgarr Road Xewkija. Tel: 21564559, Fax: 21564550, email: admin@icsmalta.com...

All applicants must be residing in Gozo and over 16 years of age. Closing date for these applications is 12 November 2007.