RIYADH — Abdullah Al-Dawood, managing director of the Qiddiya Investment Company, announced that the Qiddiya City is anticipated to create 325,000 jobs and attract 48 million visitors annually. He made the remarks while addressing a dialogue session titled "Accelerated Progress in the Saudi Labor Market" at the 1st Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC) that began in Riyadh on Wednesday. Those who attended the session also included Muhammad Abu Nayyan, founder and chairman of the Board of Directors of ACWA Power; Turki Aljawini, director general of the Human Resources Development Fund (HADAF), and Nadhmi Al-Nasr, CEO of NEOM. In their discourses, these top executives and specialists discussed how the Kingdom's Vision 2030 will lead the process of rapid development of the labor market. Their talks also focused on building skills and increasing the workforce, considering the tourism sector as an exemplary model for a new sector that needs jobs, which required high skills. Al-Dawood said that the new plans pertaining to Qiddiya are based on making it a global destination and an integrated city that will open the way for 48 million visits annually. There will be thousands of apartments and residential units in the city, which is set to create around 325,000 job opportunities in various fields, apart from opening new horizons that will prove the city's capability in future as it will work to raise the level of skills and quality. It is noteworthy that Qiddiyah City, which is expected to be one of the world's largest tourism destinations, will be located 40km from Riyadh's city center. It will have a number of recreation facilities including, amusement parks, sport areas, car and bike riding paths, water parks, natural sceneries and cultural activities. The project will provide jobs to many Saudi men and women as it will be capable of hosting global sport competitions and a wide range of activities. On his part, Aljawini said that HADAF is ready to identify the needs of the labor market through partnerships with various sectors. "The Fund, which was established in 2000, invests in human capital under multiple programs and initiatives that include the process of upgrading skills, building and training, and ensuring the provision of Saudi human cadres in the private sector employment market," he said. He stressed that HADAF is working to gain many partnerships with ministries, the private sector, the Kingdom's Vision 2030 programs, and the Human Capacity Development Program in order to obtain the appropriate evaluation of the capital that we are targeting in the future. For his part, Abu Nayyan stated that the green energy projects will provide millions of job opportunities for a large number of young people around the world. "The Kingdom is working to prepare young people to lead the world in the field of water desalination," he said while expressing his pride in the graduation of more than 15000 young Saudis from the Technical Institute who possess high and advanced skills in various fields
