For the first time in the Middle East, Amazon Academy launches in Saudi Arabia in collaboration with MCIT

• Amazon’s largest talent development initiative in the region is designed to deliver certified expertise
• Amazon Academy to equip over 30,000 trainees with in-demand skills and provide 35,000 certification vouchers
• All courses are available for free; delivered through virtual, in-classroom and hands-on workshops
• The Academy will offer 100 internship opportunities in addition to skills development 

Amazon today announced at LEAP 2023 the launch of Amazon Academy, its largest professional development program, to provide training and certifications in future-facing sectors, such as cloud technology, logistics and retail, in Saudi Arabia. Amazon Academy offers a world-class curriculum that is designed specifically for Saudi Arabia by experts at Amazon Web Services (AWS), Amazon Operations and Customer Experience teams. The initiative complements the Human Capability Development Program of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and aims to train over 30,000 Saudi citizens and provide 35,000 certification vouchers over the next three years. 

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) will collaborate with Amazon through MCIT’s Future Skills initiative to encourage Saudi talent to sign up for the skills development academy, which is operated by Saudi Digital Academy (SDA) and TUWAIQ Academy. Amazon Academy will provide transformative training and certifications, free of cost to the participants, to elevate in-demand competencies and equip Saudi talent for jobs of the future. Going forward, Amazon will continue to collaborate with government and academic institutions with the aim of driving active participation from the public and private sectors to make local talent more resilient, organizations more productive, and the Saudi economy more robust.

Amazon Academy combines Amazon’s global technological and operational expertise with its understanding of the Saudi talent landscape to deploy cutting-edge skills training. The program’s industry-leading certifications will enable talent to build their technical expertise across cloud technology, logistics and retail. Certifications under the cloud computing path will include basic and advanced to specialized levels across Cloud Architecting, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Analytics and other job-ready technology certifications to propel professionals and companies towards a digital future. All courses will be underpinned by Amazon’s ‘customer backwards’ philosophy and leadership principles, equipping learners to develop management and leadership models that unlock customer obsession and create passion for invention and innovation in their careers and at their companies. Amazon Academy will be open to all candidates, from novices to experts, at no cost.

Ronaldo Mouchawar, Vice President, Amazon MENA said, “Amazon is known to have a culture that cultivates continuous learning, knowledge, and innovation. We want to share this with the incredible talent available in the Kingdom, and that’s why we’re launching Amazon Academy. Specifically tailored for Saudi Arabia, the program will empower the next generation of Saudi youth, entrepreneurs and professionals at any stage of their career to achieve success across various in-demand skills such as cloud computing, logistics, and leadership.”

As Saudi Arabia accelerates towards a digitalized and diversified economy, Amazon Academy will launch with a curriculum that focuses on cloud computing powered by AWS. Many Saudi-based enterprises, startups, and public sector organizations use AWS to lower costs, become more agile, and innovate faster. 

Eng. Faris AlSaqabi, Deputy Minister for Future Jobs and Capabilities at MCIT, said: “We are delighted to be launching the Amazon Academy through MCIT’s Future Skills initiative, which seeks to benefit more than 30,000 talented Saudi up-and-coming professionals. We will be extending all support necessary to enable digitally savvy young men and women to enroll in the academy, which offers a range of cloud-based training courses from Amazon together with guidance, academic learning, and online workshops. This innovative platform will empower young Saudi talents by enhancing their digital capabilities, enabling them to excel in tomorrow’s jobs and contribute to Saudi Arabia’s dynamic future.”

Wojciech Bajda, Director of Public Sector Middle East and Africa, AWS, said: “We are honored to collaborate with MCIT to launch Amazon Academy, which will offer opportunities for participants to train and develop their skills as well as create a pathway for greater adoption of new technologies. Saudi Arabia has established itself as a technological powerhouse owing to smart infrastructure and cutting-edge technologies. Amazon Academy will provide the Saudi workforce with the newest tools and abilities to excel in the digital economy, providing major competitive advantages, cost savings and efficiencies. By leveraging the training program, organizations can gain the confidence and expertise they need to lead successful digital transformation in line with Vision 2030.”

Upskilling talent for the burgeoning demand for e-commerce-related services, courses in logistics and operations will become available later this year. This learning path will incorporate Amazon’s distinctive capabilities in building and managing customer-centric operations at scale, innovations that power customer experience, and training that will empower local entrepreneurs to set up and manage their own scalable e-commerce operations. 

The program’s immersive curriculum combines the scalability of virtual learning with the engaging connections that are established through in-classroom sessions and hands-on workshops. The Academy’s flexible model allows candidates from all walks of life to integrate courses to suit their own schedules and learning needs. Candidates will benefit from a higher bar of learning through regular assessments and examinations that will prepare them for a competitive job market, enabling career advancement at both regional and international levels. In addition to skills development, the Academy will offer 100 internship opportunities.