A session held on Wednesday at the Saudi Industry Forum 2026 in Jeddah addressed how national talent can be prepared for future industrial professions, as digitalization, automation and artificial intelligence increasingly reshape advanced manufacturing environments, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
The discussion, titled "Digitalization and National Talent: Enhancing Competitiveness in Advanced Manufacturing Environments," reviewed efforts to bring education and training outcomes closer to the requirements of the industrial sector, including the development of educational and career pathways built around future skills and the strengthening of partnerships linking government entities, universities and industrial establishments.
Participants also examined initiatives aimed at building national capabilities, among them raising awareness of industry and industrial professions within general education, developing advanced industrial schools that combine general and specialized curricula in robotics and automation, establishing apprenticeship programs, and cooperating with universities to design specialized fields and educational pathways aligned with the sector's needs.
The session forms part of the Saudi Industry Forum 2026, which runs in Jeddah from September 14 to 16 and is organized by the Federation of Saudi Chambers.