GCM Alumni Spotlight – Ms. Christabel Carabott

In this edition of our #GCMALUMNISPOTLIGHT, we’re proud to feature Ms. Christabel Carabott, a passionate Human Resources professional with a strong belief in people-first workplace cultures and lifelong learning. With seven years of experience in HR and a commitment to continuous development, Christabel’s journey reflects how the right academic support can unlock long-term growth.

At a critical stage early in her career, Christabel found herself balancing full-time work with her studies — and facing a challenge: she lacked the academic credits needed to pursue further qualifications. Global College Malta’s BA in Management Top-Up programme offered the ideal solution. Its flexibility allowed her to continue gaining hands-on experience while earning the credentials required to advance academically and professionally.

In her testimonial, Christabel shares how the programme played a key role in bridging the gap in her qualifications, supported her growth in a real-world business environment, and helped shape her people-focused approach to HR.

Read on to discover Christabel’s story — and how Global College Malta helped pave the way for both her academic and career success.

Can you tell us a bit about your professional and academic background?

My name is Christabel Carabott, and I’ve been working in Human Resources for the past seven years, with a strong focus on talent development, employee engagement, and aligning HR strategies with broader business goals. My passion lies in building workplace cultures where people feel valued, empowered, and encouraged to grow — both personally and professionally.

Early in my career, I was studying full-time while working part-time, when I was offered a full-time role on a project management team tasked with implementing a new ERP system. It was a valuable opportunity I didn’t want to miss, but I was equally determined to complete my academic journey.

At that point, I enrolled in Global College Malta’s BA in Management Top-Up programme — a decision that proved pivotal. The flexibility of the course allowed me to pursue full-time work without compromising my education. More importantly, the programme provided the academic foundation and formal qualifications I needed to move forward with further studies, which would not have been possible otherwise due to missing credits from previous academic paths.

The top-up programme also contributed significantly to my development beyond academics — improving my time management, adaptability, and critical thinking. These skills became invaluable as I navigated both my studies and my evolving role in HR.

How has the BA in Management Top-Up helped you in your career?

The BA in Management Top-Up programme was a critical stepping stone in my academic and professional journey. It enabled me to bridge a gap in my qualifications at a time when I needed both flexibility and credibility to progress. Without it, I wouldn’t have been able to pursue further studies or advance in the direction I had envisioned for my career.

What stood out about the programme was its strong real-world relevance. It supported me in applying academic insights directly to my day-to-day work and helped me build a solid foundation in management principles that continue to guide my approach to HR today.

In fact, my dissertation focused on how part-time higher education contributes to soft skills development and their application in the workplace — a topic that remains highly relevant to my current work in HR and learning & development. Global College Malta supported this research as a key collaborator, which further deepened the programme’s impact on my career.

Looking back, the BA Top-Up was more than just a degree — it was the turning point that enabled me to align my academic goals with professional growth, and to lay the groundwork for future opportunities.