JEDDAH — New Horizons Learning Centers have flourished in the past 25 years to become the largest independent IT training company worldwide. Celebrating their 25th anniversary this year, as the pioneer of revolutionary learning methods, and with a global network of over 280 centers in 56 countries, New Horizons has transformed businesses and helped 25 million students attain their goals.
There are 18 New Horizons centers in 11 different cities for men and women across the Kingdom. In 1999, an outstanding ladies branch was established in Jeddah. Layla Dakkak has been branch manager there for the past seven years and been witness to the center’s growth first hand.
“We take pride in reasserting our vision, which is to maintain our position as market leaders,” said Dakkak. “We don’t consider ourselves as a training center, but movers and shapers for the future generation.”
One of the primary functions that Dakkak undertakes as manager is to coordinate strategic planning at the beginning of each business year for the year ahead. She also oversees the entire process of quality assurance and customer satisfaction at the branch she works at — namely New Horizons Computer Training Centers and their franchise affiliate, Direct English.
At the New Horizons premises and classrooms, employees appeared comfortable in the presence of their friendly manager. “My central task is to offer guidance in the form of delegating proportionate responsibility to each employee according to her role and merits,” said Dakkak, adding, “My goal is to create a creative and motivated environment for staff and clients. I want the center to be a place where our people can learn and enjoy learning.”
The center offers a variety of highly specialized products and services; the majority of which are registered trademarks designed to provide optimum preparation and training to clients to meet Saudi job market requirements and specifications. Both the courses offered and the methodology of teaching are essentially vocational. The unique process of teaching and training entails equipping clients with both knowledge and practical skills needed to undertake virtually any job in the market without the need for further training.
When asked about the center’s achievements, Dakkak said: “I personally measure success in terms of achievements and outcome.” The most significant indicator of her professional journey and success has been the expansion and development of the center into various domains; a over 100 percent increase in the number of clients and employees; a renewed strategic location; and consistent absorption and enhancement of resources and technology.
“I firmly believe that professional success would not have been so imminent had it not been matched with a sense of success on a personal level,” said Dakkak. “I believe striking the balance of achievements proportionately between work and home has been both the most pressing and rewarding challenge.”
Speaking about challenges and obstacles, Dakkak said that the main challenge the center has constantly faced over the years has been the maintaining of a work force. Ensuring adequate, and indeed, high morale and motivation, which in turn lead to loyalty, is crucial in maintaining the center’s internal stability, ensuring continued customer satisfaction and allowing the center to continuously be ahead of the market.
“The obstacles we face are ones of a practical and environmental nature,” said Dakkak. “This is a ladies branch with solely female staff. It is always more challenging to ensure quality and attendance where our employees have to juggle their personal situation with their professional performance.”
Through her experience in working with the young generation, Dakkak believes that the younger generation’s highly increased focus on incentives, positions and titles is a clear indication of a change in work attitudes between the older and younger generations. “There has seemingly been a shift in priorities in work attitudes,” said Dakkak. “The younger generation seems more reluctant to climb the ladder so quickly. It has affected levels of loyalty and motivation. I believe a more traditional attitude toward work should be restored.”
Dakkak highlighted that the most invaluable thing that she experiences on a daily basis is the constant contact she has with clients and staff. She tries to operate an open door policy, which in turn has created an atmosphere of transparency and genuine interaction among other people. “The key to such a successful experience lies in maintaining close contact with the work floor whilst sustaining leadership from afar,” she said.
Dakkak’s team seem to have achieved an overwhelming lot. This can be gauged from the positive feedback they receive from clients who have completed their courses. There are new challenges in store especially with the existence of competition — another New Horizons Center for Men.
“The increase in clients that comes as a result of customer satisfaction with our products and services cannot but serve to feed our sense of accomplishment, thus ensuring and enhancing the future prosperity of our center,” said Dakkak.
When New Horizons started training in 1982, clients were using floppy disks. Today, they manage global information networks. Technology has changed quickly and New Horizons has been there every step of the way to help customers take advantage of new innovations. They are still going strong and showing no signs of slowing down.