Key points
- Saudi Logistics Academy signed four agreements to strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a global logistics hub
- GLMC signed a new three-year partnership agreement with the World Bank
- GLMC-World Bank collaboration aims to promote an inclusive global labour market
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia signed 31 deals at the Global Labour Market Conference to expand training, leadership development, and job opportunities for graduates and individuals with disabilities through specialised skills and education.
Took place in Riyadh from January 29-30, the agreements and memoranda of understanding also included a variety of development initiatives, educational projects, and knowledge exchanges aimed at empowering different segments of society, according to Arab News.
The agreements come as the Kingdom seeks to bring more people into the workforce, having recently revised its unemployment rate target to 5 per cent by the end of the decade, down from the previous goal of seven per cent, as part of Vision 2030’s ambitions.
The Saudi Logistics Academy signed four agreements to strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a global logistics hub.
Freight and logistics services
The first MoU was with the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations and seeks to bolster collaboration in developing skills and vocational training in the field of freight and logistics services. Under the terms of the agreement, both sides committed to exchanging information and expertise to support the nation’s logistics transformation.
The academy inked a second MoU with the Spanish ACEX Association to establish a collaborative framework to enhance human resources in road maintenance and operation. This partnership focuses on providing specialized training programmes and promoting the exchange of best practices to achieve mutual objectives.
The third agreement, signed with Saudi MEDLOG Limited, focuses on training and certifying 18 individuals for entry-level positions within the company. This initiative aims to enhance the skills of the national workforce to meet the demands of the job market.
Training candidates
The academy also partnered with the Mediterranean Shipping Co. to train and certify six candidates for roles within the firm as part of the entry-level diploma program.
GLMC signed a new three-year partnership agreement with the World Bank, directed at shaping labour systems and formulating policies that meet the future needs of the job market while addressing its evolving challenges.
The collaboration reinforces combined endeavours, specifically in training policymakers on a global scale and conducting research to offer inventive perspectives that assist governments and organisations in adjusting to the swift transformations influencing labour market needs, job trends, and labour policies.
Both entities aspire to nurture a fresh cohort of policymakers through the deal, fortifying the conference’s position as an impartial research institution committed to forging effective labor market strategies.
Holistic labour market
Policymakers will be chosen from nations falling within the mandate of the World Bank to craft a holistic and enduring global labor market framework.
As part of the collaboration, the GLMC Labor Market Academy was launched in partnership with Takamol Holding.
The academy offers a three-year development program covering all aspects of the labor market to train international experts responsible for future policy formulation and to create an innovative platform for cross-country learning, particularly for low- and middle-income nations.
The partnership also includes the inauguration of a policy lab, which is a dedicated platform for in-depth discussions on specific policies, tools, and programmes that propel labour market outcomes and workforce skills.
During the second edition of the GLMC, two policy labs will be introduced, playing a crucial role in addressing youth employment challenges, focusing on active labour market programs to raise employment opportunities and sector skills councils to bridge the gap between employees’ skills and job responsibilities.
Tech-driven future
According to the Global Labour Market Conference’s social media posts, at the GLMC2025 Ministerial Roundtable, leaders addressed global labour market challenges. The discussions centered on supporting youth employment and preparing them for a tech-driven future, with a focus on fostering a diverse, data-driven, and career-boosting workforce.
At the #GLMC2025 Ministerial Roundtable, leaders addressed global labor market challenges. The discussions centered on supporting youth employment and preparing them for a tech-driven future, with a focus on fostering a diverse, data-driven, and career-boosting workforce. pic.twitter.com/HeQXZxF5kX
— Global Labor Market conference (@Global_LMC) January 29, 2025
As per the social media posts, Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe represented Sri Lanka at the conference which was attended by over 70 labour ministers from around the world.
Moreover, a conference participant and remote work advocate Nadia Harris stated: remote working must be a business model that requires intentionality from the outset. Progress and productivity must be systematically tracked, as they are less visible compared to in-office work. Success in remote work demands equal effort from organisations and individuals to adapt and navigate this model effectively.
What makes remote work truly effective? It’s more than flexibility—it requires strategy, tracking, and commitment from both organizations and individuals. #GLMC #GLMC2025 pic.twitter.com/R9Z3wWoQv8
— Global Labor Market conference (@Global_LMC) January 30, 2025
World Bank collaboration
The GLMC-World Bank collaboration aims to promote an inclusive and diverse global labour market, ensuring that all countries, especially emerging economies, can benefit from collaborative research and advanced policy development.
On the sidelines of the GLMC, the Ministry of Tourism signed several memorandums of cooperation as part of its efforts to develop the capabilities of national workers in the tourism sector and improve employee quality.
An agreement inked with the Marriott Hotel Group in Riyadh aims to create job opportunities for several Saudi workers. It also focuses on training and developing the workforce to enhance professional performance and increase operational efficiency in the tourism sector.
Memorandum of cooperation
The MoU between the Ministry of Tourism and hotel management firm Adeera aims to train and qualify Saudi nationals working in the sector, as well as prepare job seekers to fill available industry positions.
The memorandum of cooperation signed between the Ministry of Tourism and Takamul Business Services Co seeks to further elevate the capabilities of workers, exchange experiences, achieve quality and occupational safety standards, as well as improve services.
During the 2nd day of the 2025 Global Marketing Conference, @HRDFKSA and @saudimomrah sign a memorandum of cooperation. #GLMC2025 pic.twitter.com/8HfKJc7vbN
— Global Labor Market conference (@Global_LMC) January 30, 2025
Saudi Arabia is emerging as a global leader in addressing labour market challenges, skill development, and workforce requalification, according to an analysis released by GLMC in December.
The inaugural report, issued by the conference hosted by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, emphasized the government’s initiatives to bridge the gap between academic qualifications and market demands.
These efforts include enhancing education and training programs and preparing young job seekers for the rapidly evolving global labour landscape.
