Human Resources Development Fund signs 26 partnerships to train over 16,000 Saudis

The Human Resources Development Fund has strengthened its role in supporting the Saudi labor market by signing 26 strategic partnerships from the beginning of 2026 through the end of July, collaborating with organizations across various economic and development sectors. These partnerships aim to train, qualify, and employ more than 16,000 Saudi men and women in fields including industry, transport and logistics, communications and information technology, tourism, sports, health, media, education, construction, and the non-profit sector.

The fund explained that this initiative responds to the rapid transformations in the labor market, which require a growing number of national professionals with specialized skills in new and promising fields. Targeted programs include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, electric vehicle technologies, supply chain management, e-commerce, port operations, aviation and airport technologies, digital media, tourism and hospitality, industrial maintenance, occupational safety and health, and technical health specialties.

A new approach to skills development

The fund also noted that these partnerships reflect a shift in skills development methodology, moving from training as an end in itself to aligning training with actual labor market demand. This is achieved by involving regulatory bodies and employers in identifying needs and required skills, and designing training pathways that meet these demands, thereby facilitating the transition of national talent from training to career paths aligned with economic needs.

Investing in human capital

Support allocated for these strategic partnerships has reached approximately 1.96 billion riyals (SAR), reflecting the scale of investment in Saudi human capital. Through these initiatives, the fund aims to direct its resources toward programs that are directly linked to labor market needs, enhancing the efficiency of training expenditures and increasing the economic and social return on support.

It is worth noting that these partnerships help anticipate the human capital needs of promising sectors by channeling training investments into rapidly growing and transforming fields, thereby boosting the readiness of national talent for labor market requirements.