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His Royal Highness Prince Dr. Faisal Mishaal Saud Abdulaziz, Governor of the Qassim Province, inaugurated the “Waad” Skills and Training Forum, organized by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, at the King Khalid Cultural Center. The event was attended by His Excellency Dr. Abdullah Nasse Abuthnain, Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor, along with a number of experts and specialists in skills development.
His Royal Highness toured the participating pavilions and reviewed the programs and initiatives presented by government and private sector entities in the field of skills development. The tour included an overview of several initiatives, including the “Waadathon Skills” initiative.
The Governor of Qassim emphasized that the “Waad” Forum reflects the Kingdom’s directives in investing in people and developing their capabilities, noting that skills development has become a key pillar in keeping pace with rapid transformations in the labor market and enhancing the competitiveness of national cadres.
His Royal Highness stated that the initiatives and training programs witnessed in the sector reflect the wise leadership’s commitment to empowering Saudi men and women and preparing them for future requirements, contributing to the achievement of the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.
For his part, Dr. Abuthnain explained in his speech during the ceremony that the “Waad” Forum comes at a time when the labor market is witnessing rapid transformations, requiring greater investment in training and professional development to enable national talent to adapt to these changes.
He noted that the Human Resources and Social Development ecosystem has worked in partnership with government entities and the private sector to develop the Labor Market Strategy in a way that keeps pace with its evolving nature. He highlighted that the target is to raise the readiness and competitiveness of 70% of citizens, while continuing efforts to increase Saudi participation in the private sector, where the number of Saudi workers has exceeded two million employees.
He also stated that the Ministry has activated modern work models, including flexible work, remote work, and freelance work, with the number of active beneficiaries of these models exceeding (273,000) beneficiaries in 2025. The Ministry has also launched several skills development initiatives, most notably the Career and Skills Planning Initiative and the “Skills Accelerator” Initiative, which aims to train (300,000) employees currently working in the private sector. In addition, the second edition of the national training campaign “Waad” was launched, targeting the provision of (3 million) training opportunities by 2028.
The Ministry’s Deputy Minister for Skills and Training, Dr. Ahmed Abdullah Al Zahrani, reviewed the Ministry’s key initiatives and skills frameworks aimed at developing the skills ecosystem, as well as future directions related to required skills. He also presented a visual overview of the achievements of the “Waad” Campaign across the Kingdom’s regions.
The Governor of Qassim congratulated the signing of cooperation agreements with a number of government and private entities aimed at strengthening practical training pathways and developing the skills of the region’s men and women.
The forum featured a variety of training workshops covering multiple fields, with the participation of experts and specialists who provided specialized training content addressing the needs of the region’s residents. The event also included consultants from different fields who offered professional and training consultations to visitors and beneficiaries.
The forum is an extension of the series of “Waad” Forums held in several regions of the Kingdom, as part of the Ministry’s efforts to promote a culture of training and develop human capital.
