The “eLiqaat” virtual job fair attracted more than 50,000 Saudi job seekers hoping to obtain a position among 7,000 jobs on offer across 50 private sector establishments throughout the Kingdom. The Third Annual Employment Forum was launched for a period of four days, beginning on Nov. 2.

Labor Ministry spokesman Tayseer Al-Mufrej said that “eLiqaat” was a good opportunity for job seekers to get in touch with prospective employers through the online service,” adding that the service was open to both men and women throughout the Kingdom.

“We sent notification e-mails of the event to everyone registered with the Ministry of Labor seeking employment opportunities,” the official said.

He explained that the central aim of the fair was to help job seekers find suitable jobs from the comfort of their homes.

Mansour Al-Mansour, deputy director at the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), said that 18,739 applicants out of the 52,875 browsers applied and registered themselves for various jobs advertised in the portal.

Riyadh was recorded as the city which had the highest number of applicants, followed by Jeddah, Dammam, Abha and Makkah.

Among the top choices made by the applicants were the Al-Rajhi Bank and Investment Corporation, Almarai and the Gulf Catering Company.

On a related note, in April, the HRDF launched a training program to develop young leaders in private sector companies, and to help them qualify for jobs in the future.

“The program aims to develop the talents of young and ambitious Saudis in advanced leadership skills and management,” said Ibrahim Al-Muaiqil, the head of HRDF.