On March 16, 2024, Marriott International Maldives celebrated the accomplishments of its inaugural class of apprentices for the Marriott International Maldives Apprenticeship Program with a graduation ceremony held at the Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa.
Honorable Ibrahim Waheed, Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information, and Arts, was present at the function. Additionally in attendance were Marriott International’s Gautam Bhandari, Senior Vice President, Hotel Development & Operations, and Mark Fletcher, Area Director of Human Resources, Singapore & Maldives.
On May 9, 2023, the Marriott International Maldives Apprenticeship Program was introduced as a test project. It was developed in collaboration with the Maldives Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment. Marriott International was the first worldwide hospitality company to work with the government apprenticeship program, making the collaboration a significant milestone for both the Maldives government and Marriott International.
Marriott International’s portfolio of resorts in the Maldives includes The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa, W Maldives, Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, and The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort. Under the Marriott Apprenticeship Program, MIT provided the theoretical portion of the curriculum, while participants gained practical experience in a variety of disciplines at the aforementioned resorts.
The inaugural graduating class, consisting of 43 young apprentices who completed the demanding 10-month program, was honored during the event. They were granted level-3 certification certified by the Maldives Qualification Authority (MQA). The program’s goal is to find local talent so that Marriott International may incorporate them into the Maldives hospitality industry as part of its Take Care CSR campaign. At the same time, it seeks to provide disadvantaged and young Maldivians with the necessary skills to succeed in the booming tourist sector.
Honorable Ibrahim Waheed, Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information, and Arts, expressed his appreciation for the program’s commitment to developing young talent in the hospitality sector. Inspiring speeches were given by Marriott International’s Area Director of Human Resources for Singapore & Maldives, Mark Fletcher, and Senior Vice President of Hotel Development & Operations, Gautam Bhandari. They emphasized the importance of Marriott International’s partnership with the Maldivian government in promoting youth empowerment and professional development.
The graduation ceremony is a big step in creating a productive local talent pipeline in the Maldives, which will ultimately help the tourist sector in the nation flourish and last. As the program’s alumni begin their bright futures as professionals in the hospitality industry, Marriott International looks forward to their ongoing success and growth.
