Deloitte Sets Up Saudi E-Commerce Training Programme

A new programme by global accounting and consulting firm Deloitte has been set up in Saudi Arabia with the aim of improving the digital skills of young Saudis to equip them with knowledge to thrive in the rapidly-growing field of e-commerce.

The initiative fits within Saudi’s effort to diversify its economy and nourish its non-oil sectors, and involves addressing a range of topics driving the e-commerce industry, including data analytics, digital marketing, and cloud logistics.

Saudi was selected as its consumers account for the lion’s share of digital transactions within the Gulf region, and its young population is the main driver of the shift towards e-commerce, aided by increased Internet access, higher penetration rates, and the government’s focus on the sector.

Rashid Bashir, Deloitte Middle East’s head of government and public services, said that "the kingdom is in a strong position to capitalise on these trends to increase youth employment opportunities, spark a local start-up and entrepreneurship mindset in the field and attract global and regional players to operate in the kingdom, all of which are hinged on the supply of skilled Saudi youths [who make up] the necessary workforce to enable such transformation.”

The region’s e-commerce industry has grown substantially, aided by the digital shift induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to research by Bain & Company and Google, e-commerce sales are expected to reach $28.5 billion in 2022, more than triple the 2017 figure of $8.5 billion.

Deloitte’s programme will be carried out in partnership with global cloud-provider Amazon Web Services (AWS) and German software-maker SAP. It will be conducted in a hybrid online and offline format, teaching participants digitisation tools and providing them with hands-on experience.