Under the patronage of His Excellency the Minister of Industry, Mr. Bandar bin Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, and as part of the 21st General Conference of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the National Automotive and Vehicles Academy (NAVA) signed a strategic partnership with Hyundai Motor Company Middle East for engine manufacturing. This partnership marks a significant step toward strengthening the local manufacturing ecosystem and increasing local content within the Kingdom’s automotive sector.
The agreement includes the implementation of a joint diploma program in automotive technology, through which 220 Saudi trainees will be qualified to work at the Hyundai manufacturing plant located in King Salman Automotive Cluster at King Abdullah Economic City. The program is designed to align with the actual operational needs of internal combustion engine (ICE) automotive manufacturing facilities and features specialized tracks including Body Production Technician, Paint Technician, Assembly Technician, Maintenance Technician, and Quality Control Technician.
The program will be delivered in multiple batches, with the full training of all participants to be completed within one year from the signing of the partnership. All graduates will begin work immediately at the Hyundai plant upon completing their training, reflecting the integration between the training ecosystem and the industrial sector, and supporting the labor market with highly skilled national talent equipped with the technical expertise required to advance the Kingdom’s automotive manufacturing ambitions and support Vision 2030 targets.
Affirming the value of this partnership, NAVA’s Director General, Mr. Mohammed Al-Suhaim, stated:
“Our partnership with Hyundai Motor Company Middle East for engine manufacturing reaffirms NAVA’s growing position as a leading national platform for developing specialized industrial talent. Through our advanced hands-on training programs, we are now able to produce highly skilled national professionals trained according to the same standards adopted by global manufacturers. Our collaboration with Hyundai reflects international confidence in NAVA’s capabilities and strengthens our role in driving localization efforts and transforming training into real economic value for the Kingdom.”
NAVA is the Kingdom’s, the Middle East’s, first institution dedicated to automotive manufacturing and maintenance. Its educational scope extends beyond electric vehicles to encompass all types of vehicles, supporting the Kingdom’s vision to strengthen both electric vehicle and internal combustion vehicle manufacturing and servicing capabilities. The partnership with Hyundai Motor Company Middle East for engine manufacturing marks the academy’s first major step toward preparing a qualified national workforce ready to support the internal combustion engine sector.