RIYADH: Eighteen talented Saudi graduates are on cloud nine after being picked to help lead the Kingdom’s ambitious digitization drive.
The group of young men and women from eight Saudi universities were chosen to participate in the “Azure Ambassadors” training program, recently introduced by Microsoft Arabia in Riyadh.
The high-profile initiative, part of an agreement between Microsoft Arabia and the Saudi Ministry of Education, aims to provide specially selected graduates with the knowledge and skills to harness the power of cloud technologies in a bid to hit the digitization goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform plan.
Thamer Al-Harbi, president of Microsoft Arabia, said: “The ‘Azure Ambassadors’ program aims at attracting smart, talented young graduates from different universities across the Kingdom, investing in providing extensive training and onboarding them on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform and its breadth of services.”
After receiving professional training and gaining relevant qualifications, the graduates will return to their universities to train their peers, and college staff, in the use of cloud technologies such as artificial intelligence, internet of things, blockchain and mixed reality.
Microsoft Azure is a comprehensive set of cloud services that can help resolve everyday business challenges by offering companies and organizations the freedom to build, deploy, and manage apps on any framework of their choice.
Rayan Zahid, chief operating officer and program sponsor, praised the interaction of the 18 students, 12 of which were female.
“As the market evolves, so too will job requirements, and youth will need to develop skills that match the future jobs,” said Zahid. “Through the program, the participants will be equipped with the necessary advanced technology skills and become, efficiently, ready to contribute to Saudi Arabia’s digitization ambitions.”
He added that one of the most important goals of the ambassadors would be to empower youth and provide them with the skills to contribute in achieving Saudi Vision 2030.
Al-Harbi said that the job market was changing rapidly, and stakeholders needed to equip graduates with the knowledge to excel and drive forward the development of cloud technologies in the Kingdom.
He stressed Microsoft’s commitment to helping bridge the gap for young people by providing more economic opportunities for youth in Saudi Arabia.
