Saudi- Alshaya partners with university for training and recruitment

(MENAFN- Arab News) Alshaya International Trading Co. an international retail franchise operator and the Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University in Riyadh have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to build a partnership and further develop Alshaya's Retail Academy with the aim of ensuring that more Saudi women are trained in retail skills and employed in the retail sector.

Mohammed Abdulaziz Alshaya executive chairman of Alshaya International Trading Co. and Huda Al-Ameel rector of the Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University signed the agreement last week at a ceremony at the university campus in Riyadh.

The new partnership covers three main areas training recruitment and investment to enhance the skills of Saudi women and improve their career prospects in the Saudi retail sector. The agreement will see Alshaya relocate its Retail Academy from the current location in Riyadh to the campus of Princess Nora Bint Abdul Rahman University.

The partnership will allow the Alshaya Retail Academy to expand the scope of its operations both increasing the number of trainees it can accept and giving students of the University access to additional modules in practical retail skills such as customer service communication and sales. The relocation will not affect the Academy's existing eligibility requirements which require that prospective trainees simply have a high school certificate.

'It's a great opportunity for our female students to receive specialized retail training from Alshaya which is a leading retail company' said Al-Ameel. 'We are delighted that we will create better access to training and recruitment in the retail sector right here from our campus in Riyadh. This is just the first step in our partnership and we hope we will build on it the near future.'

Alshaya will also operate a recruitment office on campus to help female students have better access to employment opportunities at Alshaya.