Four Seasons Maldives Apprenticeship Program Celebrates Over 1,000 Graduates | News
Twenty-five years ago, five young Maldivians became the first graduates of the Four Seasons Maldives Hospitality Apprenticeship Program. On April 18, 2026, the program celebrated its 25th anniversary at the Maldives National University Auditorium in Malé, celebrating a total of 1,058 Maldivians who have now graduated from the program, making it the longest running of its kind in the Indian Ocean.
The event was attended by Dr. Aishath Shehenaz Adam, Vice Chancellor of Maldives National University (MNU). In addition to celebrating this year’s 77 graduates, the event also welcomed the incoming Class of 2027, an influx of 84 new students selected from more than 300 applicants from 28 islands across 15 atolls. These students embark on a year-long program that combines 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 Maritime Sciences.
How it started
The program’s 25th anniversary milestone goes back to a simple yet bold idea in 2001. Faced with a shortage of Maldivians in guest-facing roles, a small group of leaders at the 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 internship intake of just five students. A year later, all five graduated.
In 2010, the program again attracted national attention when it became the Maldives’ first TVET-certified apprenticeship scheme, with a government-accredited curriculum and nationally recognized competency standards and qualifications.
Today, the Apprenticeship Program offers 14 career paths in a variety of disciplines, ranging from culinary and front office to engineering, housekeeping, marine transportation, diving and water sports, recreation, photography and conservation.
A program built on more than just textbooks
Like every cohort before them, the Class of 2027 will live and work on the resort islands, often away from their home atolls for the first time. That immersive environment has always been central to the program model. In addition to technical training, the program includes modules on emotional intelligence, leadership development and an international student exchange with the Republic of Palau, launching in 2023.
The Apprenticeship Program is open to Maldivians aged 17 to 20. Alumni from the program now hold leadership roles across the global portfolio, at other luxury hospitality brands and across a range of sectors within the wider tourism industry.
“For me, this program has always been about opportunity,” said 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 much more than they imagine. Now that we see more than a thousand graduates building careers, leading teams and shaping the industry, that belief has proven itself many times over.”
New internship for marine and environmental sciences
Four Seasons Resorts Maldives is introducing the next pathway to its apprenticeship programme: a fully-funded, four-year internship in marine and environmental sciences, developed in partnership with Maldives National University (MNU). The program is designed to support the development of future ocean scientists, marine biologists and sustainability leaders from communities intimately connected to the surrounding marine environment.
The track, launched with the incoming class of 2027, represents the program’s most academically rigorous offering to date. Its introduction comes at a time when the Maldives’ coral reefs, fisheries and coastal ecosystems face increasing pressure from climate change.
Why it matters now
The Maldives is on the front lines of the climate crisis. Sea surface temperatures are rising and coral bleaching is becoming more common. 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 problem, with many young islanders in the country having limited access to university education. The Marine and Environmental Science internship is designed to address these issues directly.
“This anniversary is not just a look back,” adds Armando Kraenzlin. “It’s about looking ahead and investing in the next generation of Maldivian leaders who will help protect the environment that makes our islands so special. The ocean is not a backdrop here. It’s what matters.”
What apprenticeships deliver for marine and environmental sciences
Developed in collaboration with the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences at Maldives National University, the internship combines academic study with immersive fieldwork. The training will take place at Four Seasons Resort Maldives in Landaa Giraavaru and Four Seasons Resort Maldives in Kuda Huraa.
In the first year, students divide their time between classroom learning at the Maldives National University in Male and hands-on fieldwork at both resorts. The curriculum covers marine ecosystems, biodiversity conservation, climate science, fisheries, aquaculture and the principles of the blue economy. At the end of the first year, participants graduate with a Level 4 Advanced Certificate in Marine and Environmental Science.
From the second year onwards, the trajectory continues to a three-year bachelor’s degree program, with a specialization in Fisheries and Aquaculture or Climate Change. Graduates are qualified to pursue careers as marine biologists, sustainability officers, environmental researchers, and conservation specialists.
