RIYADH: The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development marked World Youth Skills Day on July 15, highlighting the Kingdom’s commitment to a skill-based labor market that enhances productivity and competitiveness.
To mark the occasion, the ministry launched Skills Week, running until July 19. It is led by the newly established Skills and Training Deputyship in cooperation with public and private sector partners.
The scheme aims to align education and training programs with labor market needs through several projects, including the Waad training initiative.
Waad addresses gaps between education outcomes and market demands, preparing Saudi youth to compete locally and internationally.
In its first phase, the initiative exceeded its targets by delivering 129 percent of planned training opportunities through 14 private companies. Its second phase aims to offer 3 million training opportunities by 2028, supported by more than 65 public and private sector partners.
The ministry also introduced the Sector Skills Framework tool, which maps more than 8,500 technical skills across 12 key sectors. The tool serves as a strategic guide for developing sector-specific training programs, supported by 13 councils comprising more than 200 experts.
Other initiatives highlighted during Skills Week include the launch of the Saudi Skills Classification Taxonomy to define required skills for each profession, and the release of Skills Survey findings conducted with the World Bank on more than 3,000 firms to identify workforce skill gaps. The ministry also launched Waad Club, a volunteer platform promoting mentoring and knowledge exchange.
Ahmed Al-Zahrani, deputy minister for skills and training, said: “Organizing Skills Week reflects our deep commitment to the goals of the ministry. This effort supports all groups across our labor market.
“We are building a sustainable skills ecosystem integrated with education and training, preparing a young generation ready to drive Saudi Arabia’s transformation and compete globally, in line with Vision 2030.”
All of the initiatives operate within the framework of Saudi Arabia’s Labor Market Strategy, approved by the Council of Ministers in 2020.
The strategy addresses labor market challenges and Vision 2030 goals, aiming to increase labor participation, improve market efficiency and productivity, and reduce unemployment. As a result, labor productivity rose by 4.9 percent in 2022, the highest growth among G20 economies.
The ministry also leads the national skills agenda through the National Skills Strategy, which serves as the Kingdom’s skills policy to guide planning, development, recognition and management.
It aims to bridge the gap between supply and demand, enhance employability across all segments and promote lifelong learning.
Reinforcing this commitment, the ministry launched the Skill Accelerator Program to upskill and reskill more than 300,000 Saudis by 2027.
The program focuses on the top seven sectors driving gross domestic product growth and employment, offering more than 3,000 training programs nationwide in partnership with local and international providers.
Through the Professional Verification Program, Saudi Arabia ensures that skilled workers from more than 169 countries, covering more than 1,000 professions, meet rigorous standards, strengthening labor market quality.
The Kingdom is also reforming its education system through the Human Capability Development Program, spanning nursery to university and lifelong learning, to build a resilient educational foundation aligned with future labor demands.
