Schneider begins Saudi career programme in digital, automation, renewables, with 10 students

Schneider Electric has stepped up its localisation initiatives with a specialised career program for young Saudi graduates. The concept aims to skill up talented Saudi youth in the fields of digital transformation, energy efficiency and sustainability management.

The new program has been launched this month with a group of ten Saudis, male and female, who will be trained in a number of fields, including electrical engineering, digital automation and renewable energy technologies. Once they have completed their training and work experience for a period of several months, these young Saudi graduates will be fast-tracked into employment by the company.

Each of the ten students, five men and five women who come from the Western, Central and Eastern regions, will be rotated throughout different divisions at the company and will be given practical working assignments. They’ll be contributing to the company and its customers from the first day, whilst undergoing intensive training in both technical areas as well as soft skills and leadership courses.

This Careers Program initiative is one of a number of concepts that Schneider Electric has rolled out in Saudi Arabia as part of a wider Saudization strategy. For over a decade, the company has manufactured electrical equipment in the Kingdom. Just last year, Schneider Electric announced the launch of a new manufacturing line of high quality low-voltage circuit breakers bearing the “Made in Saudi Arabia” label. The company has also trained tens of thousands of electrical engineers locally, to enhance their capabilities and develop their skills.

“We have always attracted the best talent, and the Career Program gives us a formalised development path to fast track young Saudis who want to make a difference in helping the Kingdom to become a leader in the sustainable energy space,” said Ashraf Al Nazawi, HR Vice president at Schneider Electric.

“We’re especially excited about giving equal opportunities to both young Saudi men and women. There are so many talented and capable Saudi women who have graduated in the fields of engineering and technology, and we want to be their springboard to a long and fulfilling career. We also want to ensure we are doing all we can to support Vision 2030 by training more young Saudis to take on leadership roles in the technology and sustainability industries.”