Marriott International Maldives held an inauguration ceremony yesterday (8 May) to mark the commencement of its Apprenticeship Program. Held at Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa, the ceremony was attended by Vice President Faisal Naseem, Youth Minister Ahmed Mahloof, and Emma Jones, Marriott International’s Area Director of Human Resources (Singapore, Malaysia and Maldives).
Marriott International is the first international hospitality brand to collaborate with the government’s apprenticeship program. An initiative to develop local talent for the hospitality industry, the program offers 100 new apprenticeship opportunities under the National Apprenticeship Program.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice President reiterated the administration’s commitment to the development of youth and to providing higher education and training opportunities to build a resilient and robust workforce prepared for the ever-changing world, stressing that the Marriott International Maldives Apprenticeship Program is one such program that is aligned with the administration’s goal. Recalling his time working in the hotel industry as a youth, the Vice President urged the participants to make the best use of the opportunity to fulfill their dreams.
Admission certificates were also handed to the participants at the ceremony.
Marriott International’s portfolio of seven resorts in the Maldives, including The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa, W Maldives, Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa, Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa and The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort will serve as the apprenticeship venues.
“We are embarking in a mission to join hands with government and youth of this nation to build a future generation of highly qualified hospitality professionals from this global brand,” said Emma Jones.
“We are thrilled to have our new apprentices join us today, and we are excited about the contribution they will make to our company. We are confident that their experience with Marriott International will be both challenging and rewarding, and we hope that it will help them achieve their career aspirations.”
Under Marriott’s Apprenticeship Program, the Maldives Institute of Technology will provide the theoretical part of the program, while the participants receive work experience at Marriott International resorts in the Maldives.
The program offers selected young apprentices the opportunity to work across their placed disciplines within the respective resort while theory sessions will be taught to fulfill the requirements of a level-3 certificate approved by the Maldives Qualification Authority that adheres to the Maldives National Skills Development Authority’s national competency standards. Upon completion of the programme, apprentices will be equipped with skills that will make them highly employable in the hospitality industry.
The Marriott International Apprenticeship Program was launched in March with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Marriott International Maldives, the Ministry of Youth, Sports, and Community Empowerment, and the Maldives Institute of Technology.
