• Agreement will include qualification for the first group of Saudi females in the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering program.
• The programs will train Saudi nationals to support the aviation workforce in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The newly launched national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh Air, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Colleges of Excellence (CoE), a leading entity in providing training services in the Kingdom, established by the Technical and Vocational Training Corporate (TVTC) in Saudi Arabia. The agreement was signed by Riyadh Air CEO, Tony Douglas and the Colleges of Excellence CEO, Engineer Ayman Mustafa Al Abdullah attended by His Excellency the Governor of the TVTC, Dr. Ahmed bin Fahd Al-Fuhaid at its training facility. The agreement aims to solidifying both parties commitment to collaborate and create a transformative vocational program that will shape the future of the aviation industry, which includes the activation of a first of its kind, female training program specialized in the field of engineering and maintenance at the college in Saudi Arabia.

The MoU aims to provide innovative and specialized training programs for students in the aviation sector, which will include qualifying the first cohort of Saudi females in the Aircraft Maintenance Engineering program. The students will gain insight from the exchange of experiences and information, hands on training and workshop in order to implement and support their studies, to be provided at the college facilities.

Riyadh Air’s CEO, Tony Douglas, remarked:

We are thrilled to partner with the Colleges of Excellence to support the launch of the specialized aviation programs.

He further added:

By providing students with hands-on experience and specialized training, we aim to bridge the gap between education and industry requirements. We are particularly excited about the opportunities this program will create for women in technical engineering and maintenance, paving the way for a more diverse and inclusive aviation workforce.

The CEO of the Colleges of Excellence, Eng. Ayman bin Mustafa Al Abdullah, stressed:

It is important to build and strengthen our partnerships with promising sectors and companies in the Kingdom. It reflects our commitment to provide modern and specialized training opportunities that meet the needs of the labour market.

He also noted:

Training and empowering Saudi females in the specialized and advanced technical fields is another step for the national force in various specializations, and the directives provided by His Excellency the Governor of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation and his keenness and continuous efforts to make a significant leap in the technical and vocational training sector.