Saudi Arabia unveiled “Skill Week” to intensify young talent according to the needs of the labor market
TL; Dr:
- Saudi Arabia launched the National “Skill Week” to align youth training with demands from the labor market. More than 3 million training slots were planned by 2028 under Phase II of the WAAD initiative.
- 8,500+ skills were mapped in 12 areas through new sector skill structure. The aim of the World Bank-supported survey and skill taxonomy tool is to discontinue the workforce interval.
- The initiative is part of the comprehensive vision 2030 drive to promote labor productivity and reduce skills mismatch.
Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resource and Social Development (MHRSD) has kicked a week’s national campaign “Kaushal Week” (July 13-19, 2025) to raise local talents to develop job market needs. Started to reconcile with World Youth Skills Day (15 July), a ‘skill first’ philosophy to re -shape the state’s labor ecosystem under Vision 2030.
National vision and strategic outline
The newly established skills and training by -schedules underlines the cooperation between the skill week government institutions and private sector stakeholders. While working under the National Labor Market Strategy (approved in 2020) and the national skill strategy, the campaign wants to promote a permanent skill ecosystem underlying for lifetime learning and market alignment.
Major initiatives and milestones
Vad training initiative
- Phase I crossed the targets, given 129% planned training through cooperation with 14 private firms.
- Phase II aims to provide 3 million training opportunities by 2028 through partnership with more than 65 public-private institutions.
Area skill structure and council
- Introducing sector skills framework mapping more than 8,500 technical skills in 12 priority areas.
- Over 200 industry experts, supported by 13 Sector Skills Councils with guide courses and training design.
Skill survey and classification
- To identify skill interval and size training strategies, a World Bank InguedCated Back Survey was held covering 3,000 companies.
- Launched
Saudi skill classification classification To standardize skill definitions in businesses.
Wad club and volunteer mentorship
- Introduction to the WAAD Club, a national platform for mentoring, swayamsevak -led coaching and sharing knowledge in areas.
Government statement
According to Alrabia, Deputy Minister Dr. for skills and training. Ahmed bin Abdullah al-Jaharani described the program as “a major milestone in progress towards Saudi Arabia’s fully integrated national skill ecosystem”. He confirmed the state’s intentions to run domestic changes and prepare the youth capable of competing globally in alignment with Vision 2030.
Comprehensive reform agenda
- Skill accelerator program: Focusing on seven high-development areas through more than 3,000 national training offerings with local and global partners by more than 300,000 Saudi training by 2027.
- Vocational verification program: To confirm the merit of foreign talent before admission to ensure quality standards in important areas such as engineering, education and healthcare to cover more than 160 countries and 1,000+ businesses.
- Education reform relationship: Alliances with human ability development programs, from elementary education to higher education and adult education initiatives, to stop intervals between educational results and labor market needs.
Important competitiveness benefits have already been recorded: Saudi Arabia climbed 11 places globally in the workforce training rankings (IMD), reaching 9th in labor productivity per employee, and in 2024, it was easily ranked 5th in searching for skilled talent.
why it matters
- Labor productivity boost: With the highest productivity in G20 economies mentioned in Alarabiya (an increase of 4.9% in 2022), these improvements indicate systemic effects.
- Skill deficiency: Maping of clear skill requirements in areas helps to align training with real market demands.
- Youth Empowerment and Employment: The campaign supports Saudi youth by adding direct education, training and career opportunities.
- Private regional integration: Deep cooperation between the government and the industry optimizes employment pipelines and workforce plans.
Expansion perspective
National reforms like Kaushal Week provide benefits not only to Saudi but also migrants and foreign investors:
- Career alignment: Apparently defined skill framework means better opportunity for professionals working in Saudi Mega ‘projects.
- Transparent standard: Verification programs and standardized classifications ensure credentials for foreign workers.
- Investment appeal: A skilled, productive workforce increases the attraction of Saudi Arabia for international cooperation under Vision 2030.
With the skill week as a focal point, Saudi Arabia is moving from confidence to a change from a skill-first labor model. Data-powered policy making, sectoral cooperation, and anchor by technology-enabled standards, the Kingdom is accelerating its vision 2030 targets, with Saudi youth, workers and stakeholders turning into a position for success in a rapidly competitive global economy. These intended a commitment to the creation of a coordinated correction, from the survey of the workforce interval to the classification system and the launch of the accelerator, the formation of the labor market prepared for the future. As the demand for talent grows in areas such as Giga-Projects, Tourism and Technology, the skill week stands as a benchmark initiative: aligning education with opportunity, and ambition with capacity.
