Achieving a qualification isn’t about receiving a piece of paper at the end of the process. Achieving a qualification isn’t even about developing knowledge or skills in isolation. It’s about what you are able to do with the knowledge and skills once you have them.
Employability is a concept of great importance to the Maldives. It is the ability to apply skills, competencies and knowledge in the workplace or for the betterment of society. And it’s something that’s highly valued at MAPS College, and by the employers we work with.
We believe it is imperative that our students develop both their knowledge, and their ability to apply that knowledge to the workplace, throughout their time at MAPS College. That’s why MAPS College aims to ensure that the concept of employability runs throughout all of its courses and teaching.
Whilst it may be somewhat unconventional for a College to say that organisations must look beyond qualifications, it is essential that employers are aware that they need staff members who can apply the knowledge learnt through their studies to the strategic objectives of the organisation; especially for employees who are financing their employees’ education!
The value of employability isn’t just recognised by employers and MAPS College. It has been highlighted as an important objective for the country within the UNDP’s and Asian Development Bank’s recent assessments of the Maldives. For those entering into the workplace for the first time, or those near the beginning of their careers, it’s important that they can show their worth in the organisation, and not just on paper. And for those wanting to progress to senior management and leadership positions, it’s more than just important, it’s essential!
At MAPS College, we focus on developing employability skills through all our actions. All our courses are developed or chosen from international institutions because of their practical content. For example our Advanced Certificate in Business Administration includes modules on Business English and Mathematics alongside practical business modules, since employers have told us that these skills are important in the workplace. Our partnerships with the University of Bedfordshire includes qualifications with a combination of academic and professional content, to ensure the academic rigour of a degree is matched with the practical application of a professional qualification. Our Associates Degrees and our renowned MBA programme awarded by the Australian Institute of Business are highly practical in their content, ensuring students learn how to apply business concepts to real world problems and organisations.
Our focus on employability goes beyond the programmes we teach. MAPS College ensures its students develop work-relevant skills through its approach to delivery and the support it provides to students throughout their studies. Workshops are provided to students to specifically cover employability skills such as research skills; classes focus on practical skills such as presentation skills and communication skills; guest speakers and lecturers with senior-level industry experience are used to provide students with real-world understanding of how knowledge can be applied to organisational problems; and industry visits are organised to show our students exactly how different forms of businesses operate at ground level. At an organisational level, MAPS College is the only Maldivian member of the SANIM partnership, an expert group focussed on developing Entrepreneurship skills throughout South Asia.
How do we know we’re getting it right? Because MAPS College is the College of choice for many employers wanting to sponsor their staff. We’ve worked with many of the largest (and smallest!) organisations in the Maldives to develop their staff through our wide range of courses, and have developed the skills of sponsored students from STO, Ooredoo, Dhiraagu, Maldive Gas, MTCC, MACL, Crown and Champa Resorts, Ministry of Education, Bandos, Haveeru, Ministry of Finance and Treasury, One& Only, FALIM, MPL, and many others.
Employers and students choose MAPS College because they are confident that studying at MAPS College provides something in addition to our highly respected international qualifications; it provides the ability to apply newly developed knowledge and skills to the workplace, and to develop opportunities for yourself and your organisation.
If you are a potential student considering your next move, make sure you look at the full picture of what is on offer before you make your choice. For employers considering sponsoring their staff, think about what your organisational needs are – do you want qualified staff or qualified, competent staff? And for employers looking to hire new staff, be confident that students who have studies at MAPS College have more than just a piece of paper, and will help your businesses to grow.
