Riyadh Emerges as a Global Center for Future Industrial Skills as Assistant Minister Al-Ahmari Showcases Saudi Arabia’s Model at UNIDO GC21

Saudi Arabia reinforced its position as a global hub for next-generation industrial skills today as H.E. Dr. Abdullah Ali Al-Ahmari, Assistant Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, delivered a high-impact intervention during the Youth Day flagship session at the 21st General Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO GC21).

Speaking during a session focused on aligning education, technology, and industry to empower the next generation of industrial leaders, H.E. Dr. Al-Ahmari outlined how Riyadh is fast becoming a global hub for industrial capability development through Vision 2030’s advanced skills ecosystem, data-driven workforce planning, and public–private partnerships.

H.E. Dr. Al-Ahmari emphasized that the speed of global industrial transformation, driven by AI, automation, clean technology, and advanced manufacturing, has made skills sovereignty a national imperative.

He noted that the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources (MIM) has built an integrated capability system that aligns workforce intelligence, national competency standards, and specialized training academies with the real needs of factories, mines, and industrial operations.

The Assistant Minister explained:

“Our sector-wide human capability system is designed to shape the skills that will drive the factories and mines of the future. We are building a workforce equipped with the depth, innovation mindset, and adaptability required to lead in the new industrial era.”

He pointed to the Kingdom’s AI-powered National Skills Platform as a transformative national enabler, offering competency mapping, individualized learning pathways, and real-time alignment between training and employer demand.

Reflecting on the gaps between traditional curricula and the real needs of modern industry, H.E. Dr. Al-Ahmari emphasized that the most effective collaborations are those where employers lead from the outset.

“Industry must define the competencies, technologies, and operational requirements. When employers lead skill design, we ensure training is relevant, current, and directly linked to real jobs,” he affirmed.

The Assistant Minister cited Saudi Arabia’s national academies, including the National Academy for Industry, National Academy for Industrial Minerals, NAVA Automotive Academy, and specialized private-sector academies, as the backbone of the applied training ecosystem, all aligned with global standards and real industrial environments.

H.E. Dr. Al-Ahmari reinforced the Ministry’s use of data-driven forecasting to anticipate future talent needs across AI-driven manufacturing, robotics, hydrogen, digital mining, and advanced materials. To meet these needs, MIM integrates future skills into training pipelines through initiatives such as the Advanced Manufacturing Human Capability Development Initiative, which aims to qualify 10,000 Saudi youth in advanced technologies, and the MIM–KAUST HighPo programs spanning Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD pathways.

Riyadh is shaping an ecosystem where every emerging talent can move beyond participation and step into creation, designing solutions, driving innovation, and shaping the next era of global industrial value.