65,000 Saudi nationals hired in the ICT Sector
As part of its efforts to empower the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector—one of the key pillars for achieving the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 in building a digital society, a digital government, a thriving digital economy, and an innovative future for the Kingdom—Human Resources Development Fund announced its contribution to the employment of 65,000 Saudi men and women in the ICT sector from 2020 through the first half of 2025.
To enhance the competitiveness of national talent in this vital sector, raise technical skill levels, and empower young talents, HRDF signed eight specialized training agreements linked to employment during the same period, with a total value exceeding SAR 273 million. This led to increasing the employment sustainability rate for HRDF-supported beneficiaries in the sector to 81%, achieving significant growth compared to 49% in 2020.
HRDF programs have also played a key role in empowering the ICT sector and strengthening national competencies by supporting 76 professional certifications in specialized ICT fields. In addition, 3,877 Saudi citizens benefited from on-the-job training products in ICT-related occupations, resulting in upskilling the national workforce and enhancing readiness for advanced technical specializations such as AI, data science, cybersecurity, and digital engineering.
These results reflect HRDF’s strategic role in empowering the ICT sector within the labor market and supporting its transformation toward high-value and promising digital industries, alongside its ongoing efforts to build sustainable national human capital that drives economic growth and meets the requirements of future jobs in the digital economy—particularly in big data, cybersecurity, network management, and digital knowledge.
The efforts also underscore the Fund’s pivotal role in supporting the strategic objectives of the ICT sector, which aims to achieve 50% growth in the information technology sector and advance technology localization in the Kingdom by increasing workforce localization rates, enabling women’s participation, and improving the technical skills of national talent.
The ICT sector’s contribution to the Saudi economy has reached approximately SAR 464 billion, representing a significant increase from 10% to 15% of GDP in recent years, driven by digital economy growth and substantial investments, further strengthening the Kingdom’s standing in the digital economy.
