Riyadh Air and The Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to develop the skills of Saudi talent across the aviation sector, as well as the digitally native airline’s own operations. 

The MoU was signed by Riyadh Air Chief Corporate Development and Enablement Officer Ray Gammell and Firas bin Abdulaziz Abalkhail, HRDF’s Deputy Director General for Business, at the Global Labor Market Conference held in Riyadh December 13th – 14th, 2023. The conference brought together international and national organizations, policymakers, and industry leaders to discuss labor market mega-trends, advancements in labor laws and standards, and strategies and initiatives to ensure the resilience of workforces and workplaces.

Riyadh Air and HRDF will work together to meet professional development and training needs, providing support solutions that are compatible with the support and empowerment mechanism in the Fund, offering more jobs, ensuring sustainability, and empowering Saudi youth by launching initiatives that enable them to engage in jobs actively contributing to the growth and development of the aviation sector.

Due to make its maiden flight in 2025, the establishment of Riyadh Air aligns with the Public Investment Fund’s vision to unleash the capabilities of key sectors locally, to diversify the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s economy. The new national carrier will also play a fundamental role in achieving the goals of the National Aviation Strategy, contributing to achieving the goals of the National Tourism Strategy, and highlighting the cultural and natural attractions that the Kingdom offers to the global tourism movement in addition to its contribution to creating thousands of jobs.