Retail franchise operator Alshaya International Trading Co.’s Retail Academy, which has seen more than 1,300 Saudi women given introductory retail training and jobs in the company, has launched an advanced Store Management Trainee Program (Tomooh) for Saudi graduates and diploma holders.

The new nine-month training program, which has been developed in partnership with HRDF, is accredited by Saudi Skills Standards (SSS) and HRDF’s Doroob, will be offered at Alshaya’s Retail Academy in Riyadh.

The program guarantees successful graduates a job as a store manager or an assistant store manager at one of more than 40 international leading brands that Alshaya operates in 25 cities across the Kingdom.

Hisham Alkhaldi, Alshaya’s HR director, said the new program was an important development in the company’s ongoing nationalization initiatives.

“Our partnership with HRDF has been the key to the successful launch of this advanced training program,” said Hisham.

“The program offers a new level of retail management and leadership careers to Saudi youth, giving them the opportunity to become leaders in the rapidly-growing Saudi retail sector.”

Ibrahim Alme’aigel, director general of HRDF, said: “The Alshaya Retail Academy has competently delivered training programs to more than 1,300 trainees in the sales associate program so far. We are confident it will run this program successfully and offer maximum benefits to the Saudi youth who are interested in retail careers.”

The program offers Saudi university graduates and diploma holders training in skills that include managing staff, cost control, communication, stock management, HR policies, visual merchandising, and other skills required to manage retail stores. It consists of 27 weeks of on-the-job training at the stores and 12 weeks of classroom training at the Academy.

All female Saudi university graduates and diploma holders who are interested in pursuing a promising career in retail are invited to apply.