President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said he will address unemployment among engineers in the Maldives.
He made the statement while speaking on the President’s Office’s “The Pulse” podcast, the latest episode dedicated to the National Engineers’ Day.
Speaking to engineering students studying in the United Kingdom on the programme, President Muizzu noted that the number of Maldivian students choosing to study engineering is relatively less. He noted that professionals in all fields are important for the Maldives.
The President noted that challenges in finding engineering jobs are discouraging young people from studying engineering, and said he would take measures to find a solution to the issue. The government plans to prioritise education loans for fields with shortages of graduates and ensure that employment opportunities in these fields are reserved for Maldivians, he said.
The President stressed the need for more people to enter engineering and other technical fields. He said science and mathematics-based solutions are needed across different sectors, with engineers playing an important role in implementing development projects.
President Muizzu, who is a civil engineering graduate, said his engineering background has helped him make decisions and oversee projects during his time as a Cabinet minister and as President.
The government plans to establish a state-of-the-art engineering laboratory in the Maldives to provide engineering analysis and testing facilities for students in the Maldives and abroad.