Vocational training has become an essential part of developing a competent and skilled workforce to grow the country’s economy, according to business leaders and academics.

Mohammed Riyaz, the director of a chemical company, said: “In the trading and manufacturing sectors, the biggest problem is finding skilled people. It takes time to train new staff and help them understand the nature of work. To save time, we decided to provide training for interested graduating students for three to four months. If they prove themselves, we will offer them jobs.”

Most short-staffed companies are hunting skilled and talented employees to achieve double-digit growth. Syed Fazle Hasan, a hotel director, said: “It’s an absolute challenge in the hospitality sector to employ staff. Starting this month, eight students are being trained in culinary arts and hotel management. Such training is crucial to create a network of well-trained graduates, and their expertise can be used as a marketing tool for the business.”

With Saudi Arabia seeking to diversify its economy, jobs would be widely available, said Abdullah Masood, dean at a local business college. He said this demand could be filled by students trained at vocational institutions. Vocational courses in different fields allow students to build core skills and in-depth knowledge, he said.

“Students who are willing to choose vocational courses directly relevant to their intended careers can create jobs for themselves,” he said.