Prime Highlights
- Saudi Arabia’s Global Labor Market Conference opened with over 45 agreements aimed at creating thousands of training and employment opportunities.
- The deals focus on future-ready skills, digital work models, technology adoption, and stronger links between training and labor market needs.
Key Facts
- The two-day conference is being held in Riyadh and brings together more than 40 labor ministers, senior officials, business leaders, and academics.
- Agreements involve public and private entities, including digital job platforms, training academies, and government bodies across fast-growing sectors.
Background
Saudi Arabia’s third Global Labor Market Conference opened with the signing of more than 45 agreements aimed at creating thousands of training and employment opportunities. The deals were announced on the first day of the two-day event, held at the King Abdulaziz International Conference Center in Riyadh.
The agreements involve a wide range of public and private sector entities and focus on modern work models, skills development, technology adoption, and better alignment between training and labor market needs. According to the organizers, the partnerships aim to prepare the workforce for future job demands.
Several agreements were signed between the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development and digital employment platforms, including Bayt.com and Shiftat. These partnerships seek to expand flexible and digital job opportunities. Other collaborations with institutions like the Financial Academy and the Saudi Retail Academy to build national skills and strengthen the workforce.
Technology and artificial intelligence also featured strongly. Agreements with the Human Resources Development Fund focus on smart employment solutions and advanced training systems linked to future-of-work initiatives. Sector-specific partnerships were expanded with government bodies such as the Ministry of Sport and the General Entertainment Authority to connect training programs with job opportunities in fast-growing sectors.
The opening day brought together more than 40 labor ministers and senior international officials, along with business leaders and academics. A ministerial roundtable, chaired by Human Resources and Social Development Minister Ahmed Al Rajhi, concluded with agreement on six priority actions to support global labor markets.
Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb highlighted tourism as a major job-creating sector and shared plans to add 400,000 to 600,000 hospitality jobs under Vision 2030. Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Bandar Alkhorayef said technology, strong rules, and lifelong learning are key to preparing future workers.
The conference also featured discussions on global trade shifts, emerging skills, artificial intelligence, and job quality, alongside side events marking the Musaned platform’s anniversary and the launch of a World Bank labor report.
