25 Years of Shaping Futures: Four Seasons Maldives Apprenticeship Programme Celebrates More Than 1,000 Graduates

Twenty‑five years ago, five young Maldivians became the first graduates of the Four Seasons Maldives Hospitality Apprenticeship Programme. On April 18, 2026, the programme marked its 25th anniversary at the Maldives National University Auditorium in Malé, celebrating a total of 1,058 Maldivians who have now graduated from the programme, making it the longest‑running of its kind in the Indian Ocean.

The event was attended by Dr. Aishath Shehenaz Adam, Vice‑Chancellor of the Maldives National University (MNU). In addition to celebrating this year’s 77 graduates, the event also welcomed the incoming Class of 2027, an intake of 84 new apprentices selected from more than 300 applicants from 28 islands across 15 atolls. These apprentices will begin a year‑long programme combining structured training in their chosen discipline with immersion in the hospitality traditions of the Four Seasons philosophy.

In addition, 19 graduates from the Class of 2026 will return to Four Seasons for a second or third year of training in Front Office, Reservations or Engineering, as well as the Bachelor’s Degree in Marine Sciences.

How it Started

The programme’s 25th‑anniversary milestone traces back to a simple but bold idea in 2001. Faced with a shortage of Maldivians in guest‑facing roles, a small group of leaders at Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa asked a different question: What if young Maldivians, with no prior experience, were given the opportunity, structure and belief to succeed?

That conversation led to the first apprenticeship intake of just five students. One year later, all five graduated.

In 2010, the programme again drew national attention when it became the Maldives’ first Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET)‑certified apprenticeship scheme, featuring a government‑accredited curriculum and nationally recognised competency standards and qualifications.

Today, the Apprenticeship Programme offers 14 career pathways across disciplines ranging from Culinary and Front Office to Engineering, Housekeeping, Marine Transport, Diving and Watersports, Recreation, Photography and Marine Conservation.

A Programme Built on More Than Textbooks

Like every cohort before them, the Class of 2027 will live and work on the resort islands, often for the first time away from their home atolls. That immersive environment has always been central to the programme’s model. Alongside technical training, the programme includes emotional intelligence modules, leadership development and an international student exchange with the Republic of Palau, launched in 2023.

The Apprenticeship Programme is open to Maldivians aged 17 to 20. Alumni of the programme now hold leadership roles across the global portfolio, in other luxury hospitality brands and across a range of sectors within the wider tourism industry.

“For me, this programme has always been about possibility,” says Armando Kraenzlin, Regional Vice President and General Manager, Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru. “Twenty‑five years ago, we started with five students and a simple belief that, given the right environment, young people can achieve far more than they imagine. Today, seeing more than a thousand graduates building careers, leading teams and shaping the industry, that belief has proven itself many times over.”

New Marine and Environmental Sciences Apprenticeship

Four Seasons Resorts Maldives is introducing the next pathway in its apprenticeship programme: a fully funded, four‑year Marine and Environmental Science apprenticeship, developed in collaboration with the Maldives National University (MNU). The programme is designed to support the development of future ocean scientists, marine biologists and sustainability leaders from communities closely connected to the surrounding marine environment.

Launching with the incoming Class of 2027, the pathway represents the programme’s most academically rigorous offering to date. Its introduction comes at a time when the Maldives’ coral reefs, fisheries and coastal ecosystems are facing increasing pressure linked to climate change.

Why It Matters Now

The Maldives sits on the frontline of the climate crisis. Sea surface temperatures are rising, and coral bleaching events are becoming more frequent. The blue economy that sustains the country including fishing, tourism and marine research, requires trained local professionals to support its future. At the same time, youth unemployment in the Maldives remains a structural challenge, with many young islanders facing limited access to university‑level education within the country. The Marine and Environmental Science apprenticeship is designed to address these issues directly.

"This anniversary is not simply about looking back," adds Armando Kraenzlin. "It is about looking ahead and investing in the next generation of Maldivian leaders who will help protect the very environment that makes our islands so extraordinary. The ocean is not a backdrop here. It is the point."

What the Marine and Environmental Sciences Apprenticeship Delivers

Developed in collaboration with the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at the Maldives National University, the apprenticeship combines academic study with immersive fieldwork. Training takes place across Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Landaa Giraavaru and Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa.

In the first year, apprentices divide their time between classroom learning at the Maldives National University in Malé and hands‑on fieldwork at both resorts. The curriculum spans marine ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, climate science, fisheries, aquaculture and blue economy principles. At the end of the first year, participants graduate with a Level 4 Advanced Certificate in Marine and Environmental Science.

From the second year, the pathway progresses into a three‑year bachelor’s degree, with specialisation in Fisheries and Aquaculture or Climate Change. Graduates are qualified to pursue careers as marine biologists, sustainability officers, environmental researchers and conservation specialists.