Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information and Arts Ibrahim Waheed has stated that the government aims to develop the Maldives into a regional information technology (IT) hub. The minister made the remark at a meeting held to discuss the programme to increase women participation in the arts and training the youth in coding.
At the meeting, Minister Waheed said the programme will open 500 opportunities for education and training in IT and technical fields within five years. Women in Tech and Sparkhub are working with the ministry to launch the programme.
Additionally, Minister Waheed highlighted the many opportunities in the IT sector and said the Maldives needs new innovative thinkers as the country is modernised. He noted that many citizens leave the Maldives due to the lack opportunities to showcase their skills and the inadequate financial compensation they receive for their work. He expressed confidence that the programme will bring about a major change in the IT sector.
As such, Minister Waheed said that the government plans to conduct a series of programmes to train young men and women in courses at various levels including diploma and bachelor's degree. He also said a hackathon will be held next month and that initiatives such as these aim to retain talent in the country.
Furthermore, Minister Waheed said the programme aims to train 100 individuals per year and its purpose is not just to recruit workers for government offices. He also said the government will provide opportunities for young people who want to start their own businesses or freelance.