Abdul Rasheed Ali (Absee), Chief Engineer at Villa Park

Originating from the city of Hdh. Kulhudhuffushi, the capital of Haa Dhaalu Atoll located in the North of Maldives. Abdul (known as Absee) moved to the capital city Male’ at the age of 12 to study before branching into his current Engineering profession which was inspired by his family.

Sharing his knowledge and passion for engineering is what drives Absee and he relishes every opportunity to make a positive difference and pass on his acquired knowledge to aspiring team members joining the industry. One of the quotes he lives by and has often needed to put into practice is – never say no. Acknowledging the importance of always being available and passionate about finding a solution for any situation.

Starting at the age of 12, I believe the hard work I undertook at an early age built my character and shaped me into the determined and independent person I am today. This upbringing instilled in me a ‘never say no’ attitude. In fact, there was no opportunity to say ‘NO’ to anything in front of my family. I was expected to obey whatever they said, much like a small servant.

This was the reality in those days for everyone who came to study in the capital, Malé. However, those who took this situation as a challenge and succeeded without giving up have become very successful individuals today.

I grew up in a family of technical creatives. My father is a well-known blacksmith (Kanburu), renowned throughout the atoll. I have four brothers; two are mechanical engineers and the other two are civil engineers. In fact, 75% of the buildings on my home island were built by my brothers.

After completing grade 10 at EPS School, I chose to pursue technical studies at VTC in Malé back in 1995. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to be sponsored by Villa Group Chairman, Mr. Qasim Ibrahim, to further my studies in Electrical and Electronics after one year of government-funded education at VTC.

When I moved to the capital city of Malé, I lived at my uncle’s house. During this time, there wasn’t much free time as I was always needed to help with almost everything around the house. That was the culture in those days.

I joined the Villa Park team in early 1997 as an Assistant Electrician during the pre-opening phase. When I first joined, Villa Park was akin to a jungle, and our initial task involved clearing the entire resort by cutting down trees and removing undergrowth to make way for construction. The work was hands-on, and I was thrilled to be a key part of the resort’s opening.

Within a month of starting, I was promoted to Electrician, then advanced to Senior Electrician, and subsequently to Chief Electrician, and finally to Engineer. I progressed in my field, serving as Deputy Chief Engineer for 11 years before being promoted to the position of Chief Engineer, a role I have held for the past five years. While I am currently based at Villa Park, I often travel to other Villa Resorts to attend to technical work as needed.

I am grateful for the amazing opportunities I have had during my tenure with Villa Resorts. In 2012 and 2014, I went to Malaysia to study electrical and electronics troubleshooting to enhance my expertise. In 2019, I completed a one year project management diploma. In 2010, I pursued a two-year course in mechanical engineering and maintenance at Polytechnique in Malé, thanks to a sponsorship by Villa.

I am incredibly thankful to Chairman Qasim, who has always supported me and remained remarkably close throughout my journey. He has consistently encouraged me to develop my career and to continue doing what I love.

Villa Park is one of the largest islands in the Maldives. With a vast array of electrical and engineering processes, we manage a bustling resort with over 1000 staff members and up to 900 guests during peak occupancy times.

Villa Park has pioneered numerous initiatives in the industry. We were the first resort to install a high-voltage ring main circuit, balancing the voltage supplied to guest villas. We also introduced the use of steam generators in our laundry department, reducing diesel consumption by using steam for hot water and ironing. The resort operates two step-up transformers at 400-11,000 volts, and three step-down transformers spread across the island to maintain voltage balance. This is particularly important considering the resort spans about 1.8 kilometers in length – a feat typically only achieved in the Maldives’ capital city.

We take great pride in being the first resort to meet all requirements for the Green Key award certification in the Maldives. I’m honored to be a significant part of the Green Key maintenance team, striving to achieve our sustainability goals. Our primary focus is the protection and preservation of our critical environment. We also hold the distinction of being the first resort to be awarded the GREEN LEAF by the president of Maldives, Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, in 1998.

As part of our ongoing sustainability efforts, we’ve installed over 2464 solar panels with a grid capacity of 1152 kW. This solar energy contributes significantly to powering the resort. The next phase of our solar initiative involves installing a Lagoon solar system. This new grid, set to be placed in the lagoon, is projected to produce more than 900 kW of solar energy. Our ultimate aim is to power the entire resort through this system and achieve carbon neutrality by the end of this year—a highly ambitious goal.

Moreover, we’re planning to introduce a new energy system in May that will use Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to generate electricity. This more energy-efficient, cost-effective, and overall sustainable solution is expected to further enhance the resort’s power management while reducing carbon emissions.

After recently installing solar panels, we are now working on augmenting our system with additional solar panels and an off-grid system that includes batteries. This upgrade will allow us to generate solar energy continuously throughout the day and night. With the new system, we aim to generate around 1560KW per day. These green initiatives have already enabled us to avoid approximately 12,364KG of CO2 emissions.

In addition, we’re preparing to install a cutting-edge technology system called Sensor Flow. This is an air conditioning control system equipped with motion sensors, occupancy sensors, and a CT coil in the AC power line that will control usage in all guest villas. The system will automatically adjust the temperature according to sensor data from the villa, adapting as guests enter or leave the room. The temperature will respond to their movements, leading to significant electricity savings and positioning this system as one of our major sustainable initiatives. Given that AC power consumption accounts for 50% of our resort’s total electricity usage, this new technology will drastically reduce our diesel consumption.

We are currently conducting trials of the system in 20 rooms. Following a 90-day review period, we plan to install the new system in all our villas.

At Villa Park, we generate our own desalinated water. Our system has the capacity to produce 832 tons of water per day, and we typically produce over 750 tons daily to meet all water requirements in our guest villas. By replacing single-use plastic with glass bottles for serving water, we’ve managed to eliminate approximately 51,000 pieces of single-use plastic per month from the island. The bottled water we provide is processed through reverse osmosis.

I am an early bird, often waking up at 4:30 a.m. I maintain a habit of playing badminton and jogging twice a day to stay fit. After these activities, I have breakfast and then proceed to inspect various outlets to ensure everything is set for the day.

I hold a brief meeting with my department around 8:30 a.m., followed by a morning meeting with all departments. The specifics of each day vary, so my routine can change based on what’s happening at the resort. Given the physical demands of my work, I am always on alert.

I manage a team of 52 colleagues across different areas such as electrical, workshop, automobile, welding, and powerhouse, including AC, among others. I believe in the power of praise and feel it motivates my team to work to their full potential.

At Villa Park, we pride ourselves on self-reliance; we don’t engage third party companies for engineering troubleshooting projects. We carry out all such projects in-house, including overhauling all generators and servicing 1500kVA dynamos. Our power capacity
stands at 6MW, with two 1500kVA sets and three 1000kVA sets.

We take great pride in the training and educational opportunities we provide at Villa Park. We recruit fresh school graduates and nurture their skills on-the-job at the resort. As a lecturer myself, I’ve recently completed the C3 electrical course with 12 of our colleagues over the past six months. This course is affiliated with Maldives Polytechnique.

It brings me immense joy to guide the budding talent of the future and help them flourish in the industry. Despite the challenges they may encounter, I firmly believe that with the right guidance, anyone can achieve success. In addition to this, I also offer refreshers to my colleagues, covering theory skills in all technical fields. I provide training in workplace safety and instill good work habits to continually boost their morale.

Commitment and ownership of one’s work are crucial. Whatever task you’re assigned, dedicate yourself fully to its completion. Remember, training is only half the journey. All technical
employees must possess a strong work ethic. Success in the technical field isn’t derived from strictly following the book, but rather, from an on-the-ground, practical approach to work.

A philosophy I abide by is to always seek alternative solutions to any situation. I believe that every problem has a solution and that service should never be interrupted due to a lack of spare parts. Even when we don’t have the exact replacement parts for a repair,
we always find a workaround. Nothing is beyond repair.

To anyone aspiring to join this industry, I recommend adopting the same mindset. Always strive to go above and beyond what is required in your job.