The Universal Foundation has marked a major milestone in its efforts to build local capacity in the Maldivian tourism industry, hosting a ceremony on 21 July 2025 to celebrate the graduation of the latest cohorts of its flagship training programmes.
Held at the Islamic Centre Hall in Malé, the event recognised the 6th batch of graduates from the Discover Hospitality Programme and the 1st cohort from the Certificate III in Culinary Arts Programme. At the same time, the foundation formally inducted the 7th intake of hospitality trainees and the 2nd culinary arts cohort, signalling the continued expansion of its training initiative.
The programme is run in partnership with Villa College and Universal Resorts and is designed to provide young Maldivians with skills for long-term careers in tourism. The Minister of Higher Education, Labour and Skills Development, Dr Ali Haidar Ahmed, officiated the event and praised the collaboration between academia and industry, citing it as a model for addressing national skills shortages.
According to Universal Foundation, the curriculum is delivered through a blended model, with 10 percent of the training based in the classroom and the remaining 90 percent provided through hands-on experience at Universal Resorts. All costs are covered by the foundation, aligning with its broader corporate social responsibility goals.
Since its launch in 2017, the Discover Hospitality Programme has trained 214 students, with an 85 percent post-graduation employment rate. The programme has also seen significant progress in promoting gender diversity. Female participation has grown from just over 10 percent in its inaugural batch to nearly 46 percent in the latest intake.
This year, 20 students graduated from the hospitality stream, and nine completed the culinary arts course. Another 30 new students, 20 in hospitality and 10 in culinary, have now begun their training.
Speakers at the event included senior officials from Villa College, Universal Enterprises, and the Ministry of Tourism, alongside four middle management professionals from Universal Resorts who shared their own stories of career growth within the company.
As the tourism industry evolves, the Universal Foundation’s investment in youth development through practical education continues to shape a workforce that is not only job-ready but capable of taking on leadership roles in the future.
