ICAEW, Saudi universities host virtual meet, discuss job market readiness

Chartered accountancy body ICAEW held an event to inform finance students from Saudi Arabia’s top universities of the skills needed to compete in today’s job market. The Global Virtual Skills Conference event was attended by more than 3,400 students, graduates and early career professionals from around the world, with 26% of registrants coming from Saudi Arabia. Five top Saudi institutions participated in the event, committing to the professional development of Saudi Arabia’s finance sector. They included King Abdulaziz University, Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University, Saudi Electronic University Accounting Department, Jeddah University, Prince Sultan University.

The event was made up of sessions led by a panel of international experts and HR professionals. Discussions centred on the outlook for the global finance workforce, how individuals can succeed in their careers with the right attitude, and what organisations are looking for. The speakers also highlighted the importance of soft skills, such as communication skills, which are essential to succeed as professionals.

The 17 sessions from the Conference are now available on demand. To watch, go to ICAEW Global Virtual Skills Conference.

Michael Armstrong, FCA and ICAEW Regional Director for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, said: “Saudi Arabia is putting in place the necessary reforms to help improve its financial business landscape, in line with Vision 2030. However, the Covid-19 pandemic has also highlighted how important it is for professionals to develop their skills to meet today’s business challenges.”

“We would like to thank the universities for their participation, and for helping to instil a culture of continuous learning and development amongst their student communities. We applaud the 900 Saudi students who joined us for this global event, for their enthusiasm and commitment to benchmarking themselves against their international peers. We firmly believe that such attitudes will help improve the competitiveness of young finance professionals in Saudi Arabia.”