The Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) has partnered with Huawei to launch the First Huawei and Partners ICT Talent Job Fair. The recruitment event aims to promote promising students who have taken part in previous Huawei training programs such as the ICT Competition, Future Leaders Program, Seeds for the Future, or educational initiatives through Huawei's ICT Academies, and offer them the opportunity to advance their careers. The event was attended by Huawei Vice President of Channels and Commercial sales at Huawei Middle East Hazem Bazan, Chinese Ambassador to the Kingdom Lihuaxin; Vice Chairman of the Riyadh Chamber Mansour Al-Shathri; Advisor for the Shared Support Deputy Governor of SAGIA Abdulaziz Altamimi; and other senior government officials from MCIT as well as the Ministry of Labor and Social Development, Saudi Center for International Strategic Partnerships, Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, and sixteen enterprises who are Huawei's local partners. At the job fair, hundreds of promising students had the opportunity to kick-start their career by applying for ICT positions at Huawei and its partner enterprises. To ensure that future generations of students have the technical expertise necessary to succeed in these demanding careers, Huawei also used the forum as a platform to launch the Saudi Talent Enablement Program (STEP), a program which will encompass many of Huawei's educational initiatives to promote the development of valuable skills in Saudi nationals. At the forum, senior government and enterprise officials gave speeches and presentations encouraging students to pursue careers in ICT which will drive forward the Kingdom's digital transformation and position it as one of the most innovative and advanced societies globally. On the sidelines of the fair, thirty students graduated from Huawei's Future Leaders Program, an initiative which provides technical education to Saudi nationals, particularly fresh university graduates, in order to prepare them to become engaged members of the workforce in line with the Kingdom's Human Capital Development Program. The purpose of these initiatives is not only to train young Saudis in high-demand ICT skills, but also to promote the talent ecosystem and help them to find good positions. To reach these goals, Huawei will annually organize its ICT Competition, Seeds for the Future, Future Leaders Program, and deliver training through its ICT Academies. In doing so, the company will recognize and promote the best talents for positions at Huawei and partner companies. Ultimately, STEP will further strengthen cooperation among schools and enterprises and bridge the gap between classroom and the workforce. Li Huaxin, Chinese Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, said: "This First Huawei and Partners ICT Talent Job fair is yet another example of China's strong partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. I proudly recognize the contribution that Huawei makes through its social responsibility programs as it plays a major role in developing skills of the youth of the Kingdom. This ICT Talent Job fair is a stepping stone for the young generation into the digital era. It will hone their skills and put them on track to lead the development of their country." Saad Almaleki, General Manager of Digital Capabilities at MCIT, said "we are proud to partner with Huawei once again to promote the First Huawei and Partners ICT Talent Job fair, and support our students in developing the skillset and technology necessary to enable our leadership's Vision 2030 and National Transformation Plan 2020. We are grateful to Huawei for its great contribution to accelerating our Kingdom's digital transformation by equipping our students with the skills they need to drive forward the ICT industry and promote them into labor market, and we look forward to continuing our collaboration and partnership for many years to come." Hazem Bazan,Vice President of Channels & Commercial sales of Huawei Middle East, said "Huawei sees enormous potential for Saudi Arabia to become a global leader and pioneer in the ICT sector. Saudi Vision 2030 calls for the development of the Kingdom into an innovative and globally competitive economy through digital transformation, and our aim at Huawei is to support the success of this vision. Our training programs in the Kingdom are designed to educate young Saudis in emerging technologies, and we are proud to see so many here today ready to embark on an exciting career which will uplift their nations to great heights of prosperity." — SG
