Alshaya Retail Academy opens In Riyadh

The Academy is the first of its kind in the Kingdom, providing young Saudi men and women with first-hand experience in retail including store management, customer care, marketing and merchandising.

The Retail Academy effectively trains Saudi citizens in all aspects of the retail sector which gives them enhanced opportunities for full time employment prospects in the private sector.

Present at the official launch of this highly anticipated training facility was H.E. Engineer Adel Bin Mohammad Faqih and Mohammed Alshaya, Executive Chairman of Alshaya, together with officials involved in the initiative and the Academy's first graduating class.

The Retail Academy supports the Ministry of Labour's efforts to nationalise the country's workforce in the private sector. It aims to provide 8000 Saudi men and women with full-time employment positions across Alshaya's many retail outlets in the Kingdom within the next five years.

This joint effort between Alshaya and the Saudi government is the outcome of a strategic partnership with the HRDF which was signed earlier this year to establish a number of similar training centres across the country.

"The opening of Alshaya's Retail Academy highlights the importance of a joint cooperation between government bodies and the private sector to better serve our Saudization initiatives," said H.E. Engineer Adel Bin Mohammad Faqih.

"It is imperative that we provide our youth with opportunities for professional development so that they can forge rewarding and successful careers for the future. We would like to thank Alshaya for their continuous support in our nationalisation efforts," he added.

Commenting on the successful launch of the Academy, Mohammed Alshaya, added, "I would like to thank the Ministry of Labour and the HRDF for their support in establishing the Alshaya Retail Academy. The opening of this first training centre here in Riyadh is part of our ongoing commitment to support the development of young people and I'd like to congratulate today's young graduates and hope that their success will encourage more Saudi men and women to discover a rewarding career in retail. Through our partnership with the government I am confident that we can help to introduce more young Saudis to roles in the private sector and in doing so we can contribute to the country's ongoing economic development and wellbeing."

The Alshaya Retail Academy is one aspect of Alshaya's investment in Saudi citizens through the provision of continuous training opportunities in the retail sector. The company currently employs approximately 2,200 Saudi men and women who represent 50% of the company's total workforce in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.