RIYADH: In a bid to boost its industrialization efforts and develop human capital, Saudi Arabia will launch a training facility, a top government official disclosed on Wednesday.
The National Academy for Industry will help boost capabilities and become a leading hub in collaboration with various training providers, Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Bandar Alkhorayef said at the Human Capability Initiative in Riyadh.
“In support of our sector’s goals, the academy will be a world-class leader enabling regional capabilities, becoming a regional hub. It will act as the ecosystem enabler, being an overarching ability for different capabilities, capturing value of existing players and filling the gaps in the training ecosystem,” he said.
The minister also unveiled the Human Capital Development Strategy for mining and industries with four key objectives.
“The first is to cultivate, grow, and attract the right talent, second is to empower the talent and leadership, create and complement the culture and environment for competitive human capital, third, boost innovation, productivity, and future readiness of the human capital,” Alkhorayef said.
He continued: “Finally, drive a collaborative ecosystem where the ministry will orchestrate and build the regulatory foundation and the private sector will lead.”
He noted that the strategy prioritizes specific aptitudes over others, with cognitive skills being identified as the most important.
As a result, more than 40 initiatives focusing on upskilling, reskilling, and training have been outlined in the roadmap. The goal is to “train over 370,000 people by 2035.”
Additionally, Alkhorayef highlighted efforts in the industry and mining sectors to incorporate new business models and technologies in order to shape the future of jobs for citizens.
“We are doing a serious job in training. Only in 2023, we have been able, with the collaboration of our private sector, to train over 50,000 employees,” the minister said.
Alkhorayef added: “In the last five years, I am proud to say that we have been able to create 54 percent growth in our total workforce in the sector.”
Furthermore, the minister underscored the importance of strategic partnerships with the private sector for achieving success.
He announced the launch of Porsche Academy by PAVE, in partnership with Porsche, which will be the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa region, focusing on technical and vocational training.
Moreover, Alkhorayef mentioned partnerships with globally recognized entities including Seoul Hyundai and Al-Suwaidi Technical Academy, which aim to support skill development across various industries in Saudi Arabia.
“Today, we took a step forward, we learned, we shared, we grew but this is not the end of it. The chances are, in our hand to grow the sector, to grow the skills of our workforce for the future, and I’m sure it will be an exciting journey,” Alkhorayef said.
