The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 hinges on developing a highly skilled, national workforce. At the recent Education Africa forum, Fadi Alaseri, Senior Director of Education and Capability Building at Red Sea Global (RSG), shared a powerful vision. RSG, the developer behind global regenerative tourism destinations like The Red Sea and AMAALA, is not just building resorts; it is pioneering vocational training and talent development, transforming the lives of thousands of Saudi nationals – including a dramatic increase in women joining the hospitality sector.
Education Saudi spoke with Mr. Fadi Alaseri, Senior Director, Education and Capability Building at Red Sea Global to learn about RSG’s employment-focused educational model and its strategic role in shaping the future of Saudi tourism.
Q: Can You Tell Us How Red Sea Global Is Helping Develop Education And Skills For Saudi Nationals?
Fadi Alaseri: When we launched our education initiatives, we had a clear mandate from our CEO: to create 10,000 life-changing opportunities. He chose the phrase “life-changing” because this goes far beyond a traditional academic diploma; it’s about transforming lives and creating sustainable, professional careers.
We began in 2019 with our first university programme in facility management, accredited by EHN. At the time, hospitality and vocational routes weren’t popular, but through strong awareness campaigns and highlighting early success stories, we attracted young Saudis. Today, those first graduates are working across our destinations and are on track to become our future leaders.
Q: How Do You Ensure These Programmes Match The Industry’s Real Needs?
Fadi Alaseri: This is the core of our strategy. We conduct a rigorous “needs analysis” with all Red Sea Global subsidiaries and operating partners. Together, we identify the future manpower requirements, competencies, and exact skills needed for our upcoming projects. We then custom-design training programmes tailored precisely to those needs, ensuring our graduates are job-ready before new destinations even open. This alignment between education and guaranteed employment is crucial and strongly supports the vocational training pillar of Vision 2030.
Q: What Universities Do You Collaborate With?
Fadi Alaseri: We work with several universities across the Kingdom, including Princess Nourah University. A key part of our focus is collaborating closely with institutions near the Red Sea region. This makes it easier for students to study locally and return to work within our destinations. Our goal is always to build long-term, practical partnerships that serve both education and employment outcomes.
Q: What Skills Are Most In Demand At Red Sea And Amala?
Fadi Alaseri: Hospitality-related skills are in massive demand across the Kingdom. The Ministry of Tourism predicts over one million new hospitality jobs by 2030. Therefore, we focus on technical training, but equally on customer service. A friendly smile, good communication skills, and the right attitude are essential for success in this global industry.
Our programmes are highly practical, including 70 per cent hands-on experience. Trainees learn directly within hotels and resorts that meet our standards. To ensure a world-class mindset, some even gain valuable international exposure in places like Malaysia.
Our programmes are highly practical, including 70 per cent hands-on experience. Trainees learn directly within hotels and resorts that meet our standards. To ensure a world-class mindset, some even gain valuable international exposure in places like Malaysia.
Q: How Is Red Sea Global Promoting Women’s Participation And Leadership?
Fadi Alaseri: This is an area I am extremely proud of. Within our own education and capability team, half of my colleagues are women leading key initiatives. When we started, female participation in our student body was around 25 per cent; today, it has reached 45 per cent, and we are targeting 50 per cent.
Our female graduates are doing exceptionally well. Many are now working in our destinations, leading departments, and setting new standards for the entire industry.
Q: How Do You Ensure Continuous Growth And Development For These Talents?
Fadi Alaseri: Our programmes are highly competitive. In the last intake alone, we received over 58,000 applications. Students choose us not only for our reputation but because our courses are shorter, practical, and have a clear employment focus.
We also run enrichment programmes with public and private universities to support students’ social and academic lives. Once they successfully graduate, our job placement team ensures they receive two or three employment offers within Red Sea destinations.
Our programmes are highly competitive. In the last intake, we received over 58,000 applications.
Q: What Age Group Do You Mainly Target For These Programmes?
Fadi Alaseri: We primarily focus on high school graduates who are interested in vocational training. These students undergo approximately two years of focused training and are then ready to join our destinations. We are also introducing bridging programmes for bachelor’s degree holders from other fields who want to transition into hospitality careers.
Q: How Important Is Mentorship In Developing Future Leaders?
Fadi Alaseri: Mentorship is essential. We have seen how one-to-one mentoring helps talents gain crucial soft skills and confidence. Our current leaders across all destinations actively mentor young Saudis, helping them grow rapidly within their roles.
We invest significant time and resources in ensuring these talents have a clear career path, ongoing learning opportunities, and continuous support. The feedback from employers has been extremely positive.
Q: Can You Share A Success Story From Your Graduates?
Fadi Alaseri: We now have more than 1,000 success stories across all parts of our destinations—from airports and resorts to renewable energy and facilities management. A recent point of pride is having the first Saudi woman to lead hospitality operations at an airport among our graduates, as well as many women now working in aviation operations through Fly Red Sea. These are powerful achievements that reflect our life-changing mission.
A recent point of pride is having the first Saudi woman to lead hospitality operations at an airport among our graduates
Q: That Is Impressive. What Does The Leadership Award Mean To You Personally?
Fadi Alaseri: The award is not just mine; it belongs to every student and graduate who believed in our mission and joined us. Their success is the true reward, and they are the ones shaping the future of our destinations and the Kingdom’s tourism industry.
Q: Will There Be Opportunities To Share More Of These Stories Publicly?
Fadi Alaseri: Absolutely. We would be delighted to facilitate interviews and case studies featuring our graduates. Their individual journeys are inspiring and showcase the positive impact of vocational education in Saudi Arabia
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