Are you after a flexible, family friendly job that will provide you with a lifetime career of employment opportunities?
I reminisce my younger years, at the dawn of home computers, and my fascination at the power computer programming gave me! My first three line programme showed me the sentence ‘Happy to make your acquaintance, Charles’, with the name changing according to the individual’s name logging into the program. This was in 1983, and the computer was a Sinclair ZX81, which is still around somewhere! After a short career in a software development environment, I found my true vocation as a teacher of computer science and over a span of thirty have been involved in teaching thousands of Maltese students who are today gurus in their fields, well beyond what I can muster.
In the 1980s, computer science showed signs of being an important industry — so much so, that many Governments tried to harness it for fear of loss of jobs. The fear was obvious and myopically realistic. A whole department of fifty employees who issued weekly wages at the Malta Drydocks were replaced by a single Hewlett-Packard computer, that churned out the computed and readily printed payroll cheques weekly operated by a single clerk in a few hours! The reality that emerged though, is that the ICT industry has employed a thousand-fold more than it has destroyed.
And the industry is insatiable.
The renaissance of work in the new millennium, has an urgent need for the information and communications infrastructure that will provide the platform for teams to work together whilst they remain apart. The developed world is already short of ICT engineers — in the post Covid-19 era, the pressure to find the right human resources to develop and manage the ICT infrastructure will only become more acute.
Paradoxically, the higher the demand for people to work in ICT, the less are embarking on such a career, which means a spiraling income for those who make the grade.
In a tracer study carried out by Saint Martin’s Institute of Higher Education, a staggering 42.6% of the Institute’s ICT graduates earn well over €35,000 annually, with 80% of alumni promoted to a managerial position soon after graduation, when the official median salary paid for workers in Malta is of €15,503 as recorded in the Labour Force Survey for the last quarter of 2019.
Are YOU eager to join the ICT Industry?
The industry is open for everybody who is motivated to improve …
Saint Martin’s Institute of Higher Education is offering you the opportunity to join the October 2022 class and read for the Computing programme, and start to benefit immediately from the job opportunities currently available.
What’s so special about Saint Martin’s Institute?
Saint Martin’s Institute of Higher Education is special because of its longevity! Since its inception in 1985, the organisation has been in the forefront in the development of human resources for the ICT industry.
We value quality. The Institute’s pride is in the quality of education it offers students of all ages, who applied as total beginners in the subject and joined the industry after graduating with flying colours in jobs with eager employers who seek the skills and competences fit for purpose.
We make your journey easier. Achieving a qualification in ICT is possible for the many, even though people tend to make it sound as if you must be academically gifted. We ask you to be in possession of four passes at ordinary level, including Mathematics & English.
We joined the internationally acclaimed University of London in 2000, and since then have assisted well-over a thousand individuals graduate in ICT to join the industry in Malta and overseas.
You are not just a number at Saint Martin’s, with your development into a software engineer our priority, teaching and mentoring you to graduate and achieve successes beyond graduation.
The Opportunity Beckons, the Offer is Open …
for a second call in applications for the few seats available for full-time study.
Some students are sitting for their repeat exams to try to attain their Advanced Matriculation Level at Grade C or better in Pure Mathematics that is a necessary qualification to be accepted at the University of Malta. Others may be attempting to join one of the good sixth forms to prepare for their Matsec exams to read for a degree in computing.
At Saint Martin’s Institute we eliminate all these complications.
Students who are 16 years and over and study for the one academic year MQF Level 5 Diploma in Computing are able to choose either to top it up by a two year BSc (Hons) Computer Science degree conferred by the University of London, or use the qualification instead of the Matriculation Certificate and in addition to their Maltese SEC pass in Maltese, can apply to join the University of Malta to read for the Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Computing Science).
Why choose Saint Martin’s Institute rather than a sixth form?
At Saint Martin’s Institute you will have a department of specialist academics dedicated to computer science, whereas in many sixth forms, you may be lucky to find a single full-time tutor for your education.
All your time is dedicated towards the area of your study with few other distractions, rather than spread over six different subjects.
You are in a small group of a maximum twenty students at each level with six full- time member of staff dedicated to your well-being guaranteeing our full attention at all times.
Through the GetQualified scheme, for every €1 spent in tuition fees, your parents/guardians are able to claim €0.70 back through the income taxes that they already pay.
You will receive Stipends & Maintenance Grants.
You will have the option to finish your degree at Saint Martin’s Institute over a further two years of study, or move to the University of Malta.
Are YOU in employment and ready to join the ICT industry?
Some mature students are wary or unable to commit to a long period of study, and would rather know they can build their qualification level by level, attaining a meaningful qualification at every stage of their studies. Saint Martin’s Institute of Higher Education offers an MFHEA accredited programme that offer you an exit route for every academic year accomplished, if life exigencies demand it. You may return to your studies whenever you are ready.
What will you learn?
The core subjects in the Diploma in Computing consist of the six main elements of computer science, and a seventh element that will cover the particular specialisation that the student may select.
Programming skills;
At the core of every computer scientist are the programming skills needed to create solutions to challenging problems. Here you will begin your journey towards designing future complex systems !
Algorithms and Databases;
Complex systems handle large amounts of data efficiently, and computer scientists need to know a variety of algorithms and when to use them. Designing databases for efficient storage and retrieval is another skill that a Diploma student gains in these programmes.
Computing Architecture;
Development of efficient systems requires knowledge of the underlying computer architecture and its storage and networking infrastructure, and these are also explored in depth in the Diplomas offered by Saint Martin’s Institute of Higher Education.
Computing Mathematics;
Being able to design efficient algorithms requires certain foundational mathematical knowledge to analyse and represent different approaches to handling problems. This Diploma includes emphasis on these core aspects to ensure one’s ability to develop real-time complex systems well.
Information Security;
Our information has become priceless, and securing it against theft and corruption becomes more important each passing day. Learning about threats and how to mitigate them as well as legal infrastructures are a core element of this Diploma.
Web Development;
The ubiquitous presence of the Web on desktop and mobile devices makes developing for this platform a very important component of this Diploma programme.
Specialisation areas
You get to choose from a specialisation area from leading edge exciting and highly sought after job opportunities such as Games, Information Systems, or Mixed Reality.
Admissions Criteria
There are some basic criteria that an individual must possess to reach the grade as required by the ICT industry and climb quickly the corporate ladder.
1.You need a minimum of 4 o-levels including Maths & English at grade 5;
2.You must be motivated, persistent and aim to achieve;
3.You attend classes regularly.
Saint Martin’s Institute will consider mature applicants who may not possess the minimum entry requirements but are able to show work experience that commensurate to the entry requirements, on a case by case basis.
ACT NOW
If you wish to have a one to one chat with regard to your choice of qualification, call us on +356 2123 5451 for a face-to-face appointment or Zoom call, or communicate with us through our website or Facebook or email us on infodesk@stmartins.edu
If you are already convinced that you want to join us for the upcoming academic year, then just complete this online Application Form.
