The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) has approved a specialised training programme in Sitar Maintenance and Servicing, to be delivered by the Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) for a cohort of 15 participants.
The programme aims to equip aspiring Sitar technicians with the specialist knowledge and practical skills required to diagnose faults and maintain and service the instrument.

The objectives of the programme are to:
•    train participants to diagnose structural and tonal defects specific to the Sitar;
•    develop proficiency in the safe use of specialised tools, including files, chisels and polishing devices;
•    provide an understanding of the Jawari technique (bridge filing) and its critical role in producing an authentic Sitar tone; and
•    enable participants to undertake fret re-tying (Pardas), string replacement and frequency tuning.

Upon completion of the programme, participants will be able to:
•    Conduct a comprehensive anatomical inspection of a Sitar—including the Tabli, Tumba, bridge, frets and strings—and prepare a diagnostic report.
•    Handle and use specialised servicing tools safely and correctly to restore a Sitar to playing condition.
•    Perform Jawari filing on the main bridge to achieve the desired tonal characteristics.
•    Re-tie Pardas (frets), replace strings and tune the instrument to specified frequencies.

The course will be delivered by the MGI with the support of a foreign resource person, and is expected to begin in November 2026. This project falls under the HRDC’s Sectoral Committee for Arts and Culture & Creative Industries.

The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) is supporting the Economic Development Board (EDB) in the organisation of an industry-focused workshop on “Driving Export Growth in Industry through Digital Transformation, E-Marketing and AI”, which will be held on 17 September 2026 at the EDB, Ebène.

This initiative forms part of the HRDC’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the capabilities and competitiveness of the manufacturing sector. It builds on needs identified through HRDC’s engagement with manufacturing enterprises and follows from the Lean Manufacturing project implemented in collaboration with EDB and the National Productivity and Competitiveness Council (NPCC). The initiative is intended to complement productivity improvements at enterprise level by helping manufacturers make greater use of digital technologies, Artificial Intelligence and digital market-development tools.

A key feature of the workshop is its multi-partner and collaborative approach, bringing together complementary expertise from the public sector, academia and the technology industry. The EDB will contribute its experience in export development and market access; the University of Mauritius and University of Technology, Mauritius will provide academic and applied expertise in digital technologies, market intelligence and digital transformation; while Infosys will bring a practitioner and technology-industry perspective on the practical application of AI in manufacturing. This combination is intended to bridge knowledge, practice and enterprise application, giving participants access to both conceptual understanding and real-world use cases.

The full-day workshop is expected to bring together some 100 participants from the Manufacturing Sector, providing a platform for manufacturers to engage directly with specialists from academia, industry and the public sector.

The programme will focus on practical areas that can support productivity, market development and export competitiveness, including digital transformation and smart manufacturing; practical applications of AI in manufacturing; digital market intelligence and identification of international buyers; e-marketing and B2B digital platforms; and the development of an initial digital transformation roadmap for enterprises.
Participants will also be exposed to practical AI use cases such as predictive maintenance, quality inspection, demand forecasting, customer-service applications and document automation, together with live demonstrations. The programme further covers smartphone-based market research, trade intelligence, SEO, LinkedIn and international business networking, e-commerce and the use of AI for marketing content.

Through this intervention, the HRDC and its partners aim to enable manufacturing enterprises to identify relevant digital and AI applications, strengthen their online and export-market presence, assess their current digital readiness and establish priorities for further digital transformation. The workshop will also facilitate interaction between enterprises, academics, technology practitioners and public-sector institutions, creating opportunities for further collaboration and more targeted capacity-building interventions.

The initiative reflects the HRDC’s continued emphasis on demand-driven, industry-oriented and collaborative skills development, leveraging expertise across institutions to support productivity, digitalisation, innovation and the longer-term competitiveness of the Mauritian manufacturing sector.

The HRDC in July 2026 approved the project titled: Claude Code: Developing with AI, from Terminal to Production for a batch of 12 participants under the Sectoral Skills Development Scheme (SSDS). The application was submitted by the Federation of Innovative & Numeric Activities (FINAM) that regroups the 3 ICT Industry associations namely:
•    Outsourcing and Telecommunication Association of Mauritius (OTAM);
•    Mauritius Information Technology Industry Association (MITIA); and
•    Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie France Maurice (CCIFM).

The course objectives:
•    Explain how Claude Code works at the terminal, tooling, and model levels, so participants understand the underlying mechanics of AI-assisted engineering rather than treating it as a black box.
•    Configure a robust project environment (the claude/ workspace) adapted to a real codebase, including an effective CLAUDE.md, settings, and working modes.
•    Use Claude Code for debugging, multi-file refactoring, test generation, and feature development in a disciplined Plan / Execute / Clear workflow.
•    Create custom commands and reusable Skills, and connect external tools and systems (GitHub, databases, browsers, and more) through MCP integrations.
•    Evaluate and apply plugins, and manage AI usage cost through token discipline, model choice, and session strategy.
•    Apply advanced patterns such as hooks, sub-agents, worktrees, and Best-of-N workflows for higher-quality, more reliable outputs.
•    Build and improve a real application with Claude Code over several weeks, including a full testing battery and security/audit workflows.
•    Prepare and enable participants to obtain the Claude 101 certification, delivered as part of the programme, validating their acquired competencies in AI-assisted software engineering and enhancing their professional credibility.
•    Define a practical, team-ready adoption plan and starter kit for individual and organisation-wide usage.
The course also prepares and enables participants to obtain the Claude 101 certification, delivered as part of the programme, validating their acquired competencies in AI-assisted software engineering and enhancing their professional credibility.
The course will be delivered by Holberton School (Mauritius) Ltd, an MQA Registered Training Institution and is expected to start in August/September 2026.

The rapid advancement of digital technologies is reshaping the way industries operate, compete, and grow. Such technologies are not only altering job roles and workflows but are also redefining required skills and competencies. To remain competitive and adaptable in this dynamic environment, enterprises must continuously align their workforce capabilities with the myriad of technological developments.

Against this backdrop, the HRDC conducted a study to assess the skills requirements of enterprises in relation to the adoption and use of digital technologies. The online survey was administered from Jan to June 2026. 

The objectives of the study were to:
(i)    understand the extent of digital technology adoption and usage across various economic sectors in Mauritius, and evaluate its impact on jobs, skills, tasks and competencies.
(ii)    identify both core technology jobs and those supported by technology.
(iii)    identify the core competencies required to support the adoption of digital technologies.
(iv)    identify core occupations that could be potentially automated and those gaining prominence due to digital disruption.
(v)    assess the relevance of current training and education programmes in meeting enterprise needs in a digitally evolving landscape.
(vi)    inform policy recommendations and skills development strategies that support enterprise competitiveness and workforce readiness in the digital economy.

The findings are expected to inform policy recommendations and skills development strategies that support enterprise competitiveness and workforce readiness in the digital economy. 

The HRDC in collaboration with Le Morne Heritage Trust Fund (LMHTF) will run the course entitled ‘Professional development in tour guiding–Le Morne Brabant Mountain’ for one cohort of 25 candidates. The course will be delivered by the MITD, the Ecole Hôtelière Sir Gaëtan Duval (EHSGD) and is expected to start in September/October 2026. The project is supported by the Ministry of Arts and Culture and is implemented in collaboration with the Groupe d'Intervention de la Police Mauricienne (GIPM), the Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries (through the National Parks & Conservation Service and the Forestry Division), the Special Mobile Force (SMF), and the Tourism Authority. 

Aims of the project

The aims of this project are to: 
•    establish a structured and professional framework for heritage guiding at Le Morne Brabant Mountain by equipping aspiring guides with:
o    Comprehensive historical knowledge;
o    Advanced interpretation and communication skills;
o    Strong ethical grounding;
o    Sound environmental awareness; and
o    Practical safety and risk management competencies.
•    ensure that all guides operating at the site deliver accurate, respectful, and consistent narratives aligned with UNESCO World Heritage principles and national heritage management standards.
•    contribute to the professionalisation and standardisation of guiding services at Le Morne Brabant Mountain, reinforcing the integrity, dignity, and global significance of the site.

Objectives of the programme
1.    To deepen historical knowledge and accuracy;
2.    To strengthen understanding of world heritage principles;
3.    To develop professional interpretation and communication skills;
4.    To enhance safety, risk awareness and emergency preparedness;
5.    To promote environmental stewardship and conservation awareness;
6.    To establish ethical and professional standards; and
7.    To standardise and professionalise guiding services.

This project falls under the Sectoral Committee – Arts and Culture & Creative Industries of the HRDC.

The University of Mauritius launched the 2nd edition of the UoM Research Bulletin on 27 November 2025. A key highlight of the event was the poster presentation by students of the MSc Artificial Intelligence programme – Cohort 2, who demonstrated innovative AI-driven solutions targeting real-world challenges. Their projects covered a wide range of topics, including credit card customer churn prediction using AI; AI-driven sales forecasting through optimised deep learning models; an LLM-based chatbot for IT service management; early detection and diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis using AI; and AI-enabled résumé and skill-gap analysis for enhanced talent acquisition. 

The MSc AI programme is a joint initiative between the University of Mauritius and the HRDC, further reinforcing the importance of industry–academia collaboration in developing high skills which are industry-relevant.