In continued support to Saudi Vision 2030’s mission of empowering youth with opportunities, the Citi Foundation and Education For Employment (EFE) in Saudi Arabia partnered together for the third year to continue the momentum in creating economic opportunities for unemployed Saudi youth in 2021. With Citi Foundation’s support, EFE in Saudi Arabia launched its Flagship “Work Readiness Program” to nurture and inspire 68 young Saudi with skills to succeed on the job and in life.
“We’re thrilled to see that our partnership with EFE is helping Saudi women and men become work-ready and secure jobs that will enable them to contribute to the Kingdom’s economy,’’ said Carmen Haddad, Citi Country Officer-Saudi Arabia and Vice Chair Citi Middle East. “As young people continue to face high rates of unemployment in the Middle East and North Africa, it is an economic imperative that businesses open their doors and invest in developing the skills of young people.”
With Citi’s support, EFE implemented the Job Training and Placement program to support Saudi young women employment in Saudi Arabia in May. The “Workplace Readiness” program is designed to highlight various aspects of the employment search journey and includes modules on effective communication, emotional intelligence, time management and interpersonal skills to meet Saudi employer expectations and overcome the challenges of adjusting to the work environment. “With COVID-19, a digital skills component was also introduced to equip Saudi youth with 21st century skills,” explained Amr Abdallah, Director of Gulf Programs at EFE-Global.
After placing those young women into jobs in the IT sector and in addition to the training, EFE held an additional workshop that served up to 25 participants to provide them with skills needed to thrive in the work environment. The program was designed to upscale their interpersonal skills in the workplace and help individuals improve their image and reputation to advance their careers. Sarah Altamimi Head of Equity Trading – Director from Citi Saudi joined the event and added: “I am delighted to see that at the end of this program beneficiaries are equipped with the skills and techniques that enable them to realize their full potential.”
Nouf Alenezi, a graduate of the program, is grateful to have been part of the journey, saying: “I’ve learned more about time management skills, the most sufficient ways to deal with working under pressure and other skills that I believe are essential in the life of youth at the beginning of their career. Those who seek excellence and have great ambition in developing their career ladder need to be positive people who leave impact within their work environment and those surrounding them”
Abdullah Alghamdi, EFE-Saudi CEO, added: “We are very pleased to partner with the Citi Foundation to bring this effort to Saudi Arabia to enable Saudi youth reach their potential and compete in growing sectors and contribute to Saudi vision 2030. We look forward to the continuous partnership between EFE-Saudi and the Citi Foundation. The skills that Saudi youth acquired in this program are based on the proven model that has enabled the EFE Network to connect over 130,000 graduates to the world of work in nine countries across the Middle East and North Africa. This work has become more important than ever due to the changing landscape caused by to COVID-19.”
The activities in Saudi Arabia is part of a regional Citi-EFE Global partnership in alignment with the Citi Foundation’s Pathways to Progress global approach that prepares youth with career readiness skills and opportunities to thrive in today’s economy. Now entering its eights year, the Citi-EFE Global partnership provides training and economic opportunities to unemployed youth in Morocco, Tunisia, and, for the second time, in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Beyond providing direct program support to EFE, the Citi Foundation has played a unique and crucial role in enhancing the efficacy of the EFE Network by supporting EFE’s systems and outreach.
Education For Employment in Saudi Arabia (EFE) aims to help youth accessing economic opportunities, by equipping them with a set of internationally and locally recognized training programs that increase their employability skills to meet labor market demands, and linking them with employer partners.
The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation's “More than Philanthropy” approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation.
