Saudis to be trained in hotel career

A group of 15 young Saudis are set to undergo a training program in hospitality business, which was launched by a French group of hotels.
Accor Middle East, one of the leading hospitality groups in the region, made the announcement on Monday in the capital.
The hospitality program, entitled “Saudi Management Training Program,” is designed to nurture the careers of Saudi nationals in the field of hospitality with the aim of developing future leaders in Accor hotels.
Christophe Landais, managing director of Accor Middle East, told Arab News that the program has been endorsed by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) and is part of a SCTA initiative to develop the skills of nationals in the hospitality sector.
“Accor Group is deeply committed to the development of the local communities in which it operates,” Landais said. He said that the Saudi Management Training Program is an important initiative that aims to encourage Saudi nationals to join the hospitality industry.
The managing director stressed that the group looks forward to nurturing local careers within Accor’s future management teams. He explained that Saudi youth would be recruited for training annually and expressed hope that the group would be able to recruit Saudi females in the program next year.
The program, which includes a 15-month curriculum, will cover a full academic term, combined with practical training.
“The program is divided into first targeting the development of fundamental skills related to the hospitality field and second, focusing on acquiring essential management capabilities,” Landais said.
“Upon completion and passing final examination, participants will be granted an official Accor Diploma enabling them to apply for positions within the group,” he noted.
Abdulaziz Alhazzaa, director of the Center for National HRD in Tourism within the SCTA, said: “Creating job opportunities for Saudis in tourism is a strategic goal for SCTA and Accor is a major partner in achieving this goal.”
He added that great progress has been made in the nationalization of the tourism industry since the establishment of the SCTA, highlighting the increase from 10 percent in 2001 to 27 percent by the end of 2012.
“We expect the tourism sector to be the major employer for young Saudis in the coming years. We will work with Accor and other major partners in the industry to make the tourism sector more attractive to young Saudis,” said Alhazzaa.
Fifteen members were selected for the program through an intensive recruitment process.
“Candidates will benefit from Tamheed’s 27 years of expertise in the hotel industry, which will help them climb the corporate ladder through the development of their operational and management skills,” said Salah Oumouden, vice-president of Accor in Saudi Arabia.
Accor Academy runs training sessions throughout the year and tailors training courses to suit the development of the group’s employees.