Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) launched its first national scholarship program with the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism.
The HRDF – Qiddiya Academic Training Program, a 30-month scholarship program, will provide 1,200 local high school graduates with an opportunity to study for diplomas in Hospitality and Entertainment Management from internationally renowned universities here the Kingdom.
The program will begin with Hospitality programs from HTMi Hotel and Tourism Management Institute (Switzerland) will be offered at the Higher Institute of Tourism & Hospitality in Riyadh, Jizan and Al Baha.
The agreement was signed by QIC’s CEO, Michael Reininger and HRDF Director General, Turki Al-Jawini.
“We are committed to building, training and nurturing the future leaders of the Kingdom as they set out to explore the exciting fields of hospitality. We launched our inaugural scholarship program in conjunction with GEA last year, recruited our second batch of interns in collaboration with MiSK, and now, 1,200 local students will receive scholarships for internationally recognized diplomas, enabling them to explore exciting career opportunities in these developing sectors.” said Reininger.
The application process is comprised of three stages: online registration, an open day and an in-person interview.
The program will kick off with the selection of the first cohort of 600 students in October 2020. Post graduation, successful students will be given the opportunity to work alongside industry experts at Qiddiya.
Qiddiya is set to offer a range of scholarship programs to Saudi youth in the coming months.