Diriyah, Jewel of the Kingdom: Training programs spark new opportunities for Diriyah youth

As part of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority’s mission to invest in the personal growth of the Diriyah community, its community engagement team has partnered with STTAR Tourism Institute to provide local young people with a series of training programs to support the community to be part of the growing tourism and hospitality sector in Saudi Arabia.
The programs were designed in line with international best practices, together with authentic Saudi hospitality values, to equip the young people with the skills and knowledge required to excel in the food and beverage sector of the Kingdom’s burgeoning travel industry.
STTAR developed two separate programs. The first was a barista training session for those with a passion for making coffee. The second was an assistant chef program for those young people keen to learn more about Saudi cuisine.
Fifteen young men and 15 young women applied to take part and were taught by some of the best instructors in the Kingdom. Each instructor enthusiastically imparted their expertise to the eager students, who were treated to a range of different coffee and culinary-related sessions and activities.
At the end of the program, each of the 30 participants were invited to interview with a number of local businesses within the food and beverage sector. These businesses were all more than happy to deepen their engagement with the community and add young local talent to their growing staff.
Sara AlHussaini, senior community engagement officer at DGDA, was pleased with the project’s success, saying: “I am so thrilled to see these young people developing their skills in areas they feel immensely passionate about. I can’t wait to see them thriving in Diriyah’s local restaurants and coffee houses, and I’m sure the people of Diriyah can’t wait either.”
She added: “DGDA is absolutely committed to the empowerment of Diriyah’s young people. They, along with the wider local community, are the soul of Diriyah and we want them to have the opportunities to succeed in whatever field they choose. That is exactly what we are doing with these programs.”
DGDA’s partner, STTAR Tourism Institute, is a leading hospitality and tourism training institution in Saudi Arabia and is the educational arm of the renowned Swiss Hospitality Company. STTAR was established to meet the needs of the Kingdom’s expanding tourism labor market by providing development programs that seek to bring the quality of service provided in Saudi tourist facilities to an international standard.
The work of DGDA will soon see Diriyah transformed into a global gathering place, welcoming visitors from across the world to share in what will be a hub of Saudi culture.
To DGDA, it is vital that, as the project grows, so too does the local community. Programs like these training sessions will ensure that the young people of Diriyah have the chance to flourish and become an integral part of the development themselves. This fits more broadly with a core focus of the Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to boost the employment of Saudis across the Kingdom.