Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Ministry of Education and SAGIA met with the 50 major foreign investors Tuesday at SAGIA headquarters to explore how better match local talent with current and future labor market needs.

The meeting comes as part of a series of discussions following the government’s recent move to strengthen its communication with the private sector under Vision 2030. Officials at SAGIA noted that this effort is being made to jointly understand and explore opportunities to enhance the Kingdom’s business environment.

The group discussed a number of initiatives aimed at increasing investors’ visibility and accessibility to Saudi talent, as well as strategies to matriculate Saudi students into corporate development programs before, during and after university.

Ministry of Education officials announced they would be launching in late September a matchmaking platform to pair students with the right skills to job openings. The database itself would include all students on government scholarship programs, and would provide tools for investors to narrow students down based on their degrees and qualifications.

Government officials also announced that the “Your Scholarship, Your Job” program would soon be expanded to foreign investors. Under the program, a company anticipating a requirement for certain expertise can recruit high-potential high school graduates who will enroll in majors relevant to the needs of the investor. The company upon completion of their university degree rewards the students with a job.

The group concluded the discussion by discussing co-op opportunities for Saudi students, as well as upcoming government sponsored career fairs.

Commenting on the event, The Ministry of Education Scholarship Affairs Deputy Minister, Dr. Jasser Al-Harbash said, “The objective of the Ministry of Education and SAGIA’s coordination on these initiatives is maximizing the availability of job opportunities for current scholarship students, and alumni of the scholarship program.”

“This will contribute to greater training opportunities for the students and graduates in the major international companies invested in Saudi Arabia”

Deputy Minister Harbash added: “I would encourage companies to partner with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship and its ‘Your Job, Your Scholarship’ program which was restructured to serve the labor market, and will contribute to the further development of human resources in the Kingdom.”

Speaking about the meeting, SAGIA’s Deputy Governor for Shared Services Faraj Al Manajem said: “The important role that the Saudi youth will play in the transformation of Saudi Arabia cannot be understated. That is why investing and fostering local talent is so important — they will build our economy and provide investors with a rich pool of individuals equipped with the skills required to help businesses fulfill their aspirations in the Kingdom.”

“The government wants to be the partner of the private sector to help them more easily identify and develop the skills those Saudis who will be the backbones of their companies moving forward,” he added.

“We would encourage all current and future investors to work with us to understand how we can continue to build upon your success with Saudis at the heart of your enterprise.”