Saudi Arabia Rolls Out New Youth Empowerment Plans

Saudi Arabia has stepped up its efforts to empower young people through a wave of new initiatives and partnerships aimed at building skills, expanding job opportunities, and boosting community participation. The push is anchored in a General Policy for Youth Development and a broader Youth Development Strategy tied to رؤية السعودية 2030.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development launched more than 20 youth empowerment initiatives under the strategy in early 2024. The framework focuses on five main areas: economic empowerment, community participation, education and lifelong learning, health and wellbeing, and national identity and religious values.

The policy is designed to reduce legislative gaps, address issues affecting young people, and support youth-led initiatives across government, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations. It also introduces a professional certification for those working in the youth sector, along with incentives for donor institutions to invest in youth projects.

Training programs at scale

Youth empowerment is closely tied to national skills and training programs. The Waad National Training Initiative, now in its second phase, targets 3 million training opportunities by 2028 through partnerships with more than 65 public and private entities. The Skill Accelerator Program aims to upskill and reskill more than 300,000 Saudis by 2027.

Additional support comes through Misk, which focuses on education and entrepreneurship, and an e-training platform provided by the Human Resources Development Fund. The Saudi Data & AI Authority also lists training and employing Saudi cadres as part of its youth work.

For young residents across الرياض, جدة, and beyond, these programs signal expanding pathways into the labor market and a long-term national commitment to skills development, civic participation, and inclusion — key goals of the Kingdom's development agenda.

---

Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Saudi Living — the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Saudi Living for daily updates:

• Instagram - @saudiliving
• X - @saudiliving
• Facebook - @saudiliving
• YouTube - @saudiliving