The Saudis are methodically and thoroughly building the foundation of their golf industry. A good example of this is Golf Saudi‘s 1st-ever Arabic golf education and training program.
The program is centered around providing job opportunities for Saudi nationals whilst simultaneously growing the golf industry in the Kingdom.
Golf Saudi is cooperating with the Club Management Association of Europe (CMAE), National Centre for Facilities and Hospitality Management (FHM), and Qaderoon Business Disability Network.
The goal is to educate individuals and provides a vast array of roles within new and existing facilities, from Golf Course Management to Greenkeeping and Event Planning, delivering 2,200 new jobs by 2025.
Majed Al Sorour, the CEO and Deputy Chairman of Golf Saudi said:
“It is my pleasure to confirm that Golf Saudi has launched the first ever Arabic Education and Training Programme, furthering our commitment to make golf accessible to all.
We are already upskilling the existing workforce at our corporate office and at our managed facilities, whilst preparing to roll out the programme to school and university graduates, as well as unemployed persons.”
The program is open to any Saudi National who can gain access at no cost, providing an unrivaled pathway to one of the fastest-growing sectors in the Kingdom. Developed in partnership with CMAE, the MDP program focuses on an education for individuals completely new to golf.
5 qualification levels have been developed as part of the education journey, which can be paused at any stage, dependent on the individuals’ aspirations and skillset. This includes
- an introduction to golf,
- foundations skills for club service,
- supervisory and team leadership,
- internships and
- the pre-MDP programme.
As one of the three pillars of the National Sustainability Strategy, the Social Agenda is focused on the creation of education, employment, and leisure opportunities for all Saudis from all age groups.
This aim fits in with the signing of the MOU with Qaderoon because as a non-profit organization, Qaderoon’s mission is to support and enable employers to include persons with disability as equal and effective members of the workforce.
The rollout of the program will begin with the upskilling of current staff in the Golf Saudi corporate office, as well as its managed facilities, before the rollout of the ground-breaking education program with FHM.
The certification intends to be rolled out in both classes, and through an online platform, enabling individuals with varied backgrounds to find their way into the golf industry.
Next steps
Over the next 12 to 18 months, Golf Saudi will continue to work closely with CMAE, FHM, and Qaderoon, ensuring its program is available to all. With expertise from CMAE, individuals will be presented with opportunities in the golf industry that have not been seen before.
Comments
We can make faces but we have to admit that Golf Saudi’s educational program and the kingdom’s commitment to golf deserve recognition and respect.
It is a separate question of how they will find enough interested people and applicants for the educational program.