Fairmont Makkah supports top-notch training program
Makkah Clock Royal Tower, a Fairmont Hotel has joined forces with the Prince Sultan College for Tourism and Management in Jeddah, part of the Alfaisal University, on a pioneering program that aims to provide topnotch hospitality training and internship and employment opportunities for Saudi students.
In a recent agreement, both organizations pledged to allocate their respective resources to support the development of students by combining classroom theory with practical application in the workplace.
Spearheaded by Shakeel Habeb, dean of the college, and Abdulaziz Eid, GM, Makkah Clock Royal Tower, A Fairmont Hotel, this partnership aims to develop a strong educational curriculum that equips graduates with indemand skills and knowledge, while cementing the hospitality sector as both a major contributor to the country’s economy and as a top employer of Saudi nationals.
“The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities anticipates that in the coming years the tourism sector will emerge as a true economic powerhouse, employing more than 926,000 people and surpassing more than SR70 billion in earnings — around 6.5 percent of the Kingdom’s GDP,” explained Eid. “Given these facts, it is incredibly important that we work closely with educational institutions to develop a prepared and qualified work force that can meet the growing needs of this expanding sector.”
This initiative comes at a time when Makkah Clock Royal Tower, a Fairmont hotel is aggressively recruiting and developing local talent across the organization. Lauded as a leading employer of Saudi men and women, this year the hotel celebrated one of its exceptional Saudi colleagues Mohammed Sharaf, who was named the young hotelier of the year at the Hotelier Middle East Awards held in Dubai.
“Sharaf’s notable achievement is a reflection of Makkah Clock Royal Tower’s commitment to nurturing the professional growth of its team members through programs that focus on empowering Saudi nationals,” Eid added.