Investing in Skills Scheme

Investing in Skills is a scheme co-financed by the European Social Fund+ (ESF+), the Maltese Government and the Employers and falls under Malta’s Operational Programme ‘Fostering the socioeconomic wellbeing of society through the creation of opportunities for all and investment in human resources and skills’ for the 2021-2027 Programming Period. 

You can download the IIS Guidance Notes by clicking here for the full terms and conditions.

Eligibility 

Only applications meeting all the eligibility criteria for Employers will be approved for funding.

All Applicants:

a) Complete documentation – The Applicant must present an application form filled in with all relevant details and documentation.
b) Project implemented within / for the direct benefit of the eligible territory: The Employer must be registered with the eligible territory (Malta and Gozo) whilst the project is to be implemented within the eligible territory or for its direct benefit.
c) Incentive Effect: Aid shall be considered to have an incentive effect if the Beneficiary has submitted an application for the aid prior the start of the activity. Therefore, claim and proof of deliverables should be dated after the submission date of the IIS application.
d) Eligible Training Programme: Aid shall not be granted for training which Employers carry out to comply with National Mandatory Standards on training (in other words, it cannot be training that is obligatory to meet a legal requirement). Furthermore, Information Sessions, Meetings, Conferences, Seminars and Team Building Events are not eligible under Investing in Skills. The Investing in Skills scheme will subsidise formal and non-formal learning.
e) The trainee needs to be formally employed with the beneficiary during the training period;
f) Applicant is not in an exclusion situation in accordance with Article 136(1) and Article 141(1) of 2018/1046 of the Financial Regulation and CPR Article 73(2)((i).
g) Eligibility criteria for Selected Operation must be implemented in line with:
I) The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union
II) B) The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD)

Application Process

Investing in Skills applications will be processed on a first come first served basis. Preferably complete applications must be received by the Investing in Skills Unit at least twenty-one calendar days before the start date of training but not later than seven (7) calendar days before the start of the training. Applications submitted in less than seven (7) calendar days before the start of the training will not be approved. In line with Article 6 of Regulation (EU) 651/2014 training can be considered eligible only if it starts after an application has been submitted to Jobsplus and an acknowledgement is issued.

Employers can initiate the training at their own risk prior to formal approval by Jobsplus. Jobsplus will not be held responsible for any losses sustained by the applicant should the application be found ineligible.

a) Only the latest application form submitted through www.jobsplus.gov.mt will be acknowledged; Click here to access the application form for employers directly.
b) Complete applications, together with all supporting documentation must be submitted in full. Support documentation including the training programme template and training schedule template will be filled in and submitted by Advenio eAcademy.
c) Delegated persons will be able to liaise with the Investing in Skills Unit with any queries or clarifications pertaining to the application.
d) There is a capping of 10 trainees per group.

Proof of Deliverables

a) Students need to take periodical screenshots of the ongoing training session/s where trainees, dates and timings are clearly identifiable. Such dates and times on the screenshots must be in line with the dates and times of the attendance sheets that will be submitted. The quantity of screenshots should be in proportion to the duration of the contact hours.

1. Individual CPD course (1 ECTS): 4 screenshots minimum requirement per student
2. Award in SME Management (CPD) (10 ECTS): 10 screenshots minimum requirement per student
3. Award in NGO Management (10 ECTS): 10 screenshots minimum requirement per student

b) The attendance sheet will be filled in by Advenio eAcademy staff by using the data statistics found on the eLearning platform

Reimbursement Details

The reimbursement is calculated depending on the number of contact hours in the particular course/programme. Training Rate @ €28.25

The Beneficiary must pay from own funds the total expenditure incurred. Once the operation has been successfully completed, the Beneficiary is to provide the following documentation which will be retained by the Investing in Skills Unit, in order to process the Claim for Reimbursement in line with the established co-financing rate and maximum subsidy payable in the Grant Agreement:

a) Request for Reimbursement form filled in by the Employer
b) Compete, duly filled in and signed Financial Identification Form filled in by the Employer
c) Attendance Sheets for online training filled in by Advenio eAcademy. Screen shots of the ongoing training session/s where trainees, dates and timings are clearly identifiable are to be presented together with declaration/endorsement of legal representative and trainer including grant number, title of training, date, times and participants details
d) Certificates and/or result slips
e) Participants Report signed by the trainee/s
f) Common Immediate Result Indicator Report/s signed by the trainee/s

All necessary documents can be found and downloaded from the Jobsplus website: https://jobsplus.gov.mt/iis/iis-open-calls