20 Feb 2023

People First: Building the Kingdom’s automotive sector

As the first Saudi electric vehicle brand, Ceer’s mission is twofold. The company will not only design, manufacture, and sell a wide range of vehicles for consumers in Saudi Arabia and the region, but it will also look to ignite and accelerate the creation of a national automotive industry in the country.

People are the foundation of the industry, and Ceer has been focusing on rapidly building its human capital. Since its launch in November 2022, the company already employs over 550 people. That number is set to almost double by the end of the year.

The driving force of a future economy

Globally, the automotive industry creates high-value jobs and supports growth in high-tech industries. The Kingdom can expect that its own automotive manufacturing cluster, which will be producing hundreds of thousands of cars by 2030, will create thousands of direct, indirect, and induced jobs. Many of these new jobs will focus on cutting-edge technologies such as advanced robotics, 3D printing, and Industry 4.0.

Abrar Al-Qurashi, Head of Human Resources, commented, “We are very passionate about our work and are well aware that establishing a national company to manufacture electric cars is not an easy task, however, we are confident that Ceer’s team has the experience and competence to achieve our mission.” Al-Qurashi added, “We are proud of Ceer’s contribution in localizing the automotive industry; this will accelerate the transfer of knowledge and create highly skilled job opportunities for the young and emerging Saudi generation.”

Ceer seeks to be the driving force of the future through its commitment to hire more than 6,000 employees by 2034. The company is especially focused on developing local talent; Ceer has set itself a target of achieving a Saudization rate of 80% within the next decade. Such a target may be seen as a challenge, but Ceer is determined to turn a challenge into an opportunity.

Ceer is focusing on providing equal opportunities for young Saudi engineers. “The empowerment of Saudi youth is at the heart of the Kingdom’s ‘Vision 2030’ and here at Ceer we celebrate effective and real empowerment driven by digital innovation and technological advancement,” said Al-Qurashi.

In addition, Ceer recently hired a group of young Saudi engineers to join the company. Wed AlGhamdi joined the advanced manufacturing engineering department as an associate mechanical engineer after graduating from Prince Mohammed bin Fahd University with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. “Five years ago, there were limited opportunities for Saudi engineers in the automotive industry. The launch of Ceer paved the way for many future career opportunities, and now everyone can help shape the future. I strongly encourage those who are interested in the industry to pursue a career in engineering because there will be a lot of opportunities in the future,” said AlGhamdi.

With ambitious plans, Ceer is working hand in hand with policy and decision-makers investing in human capital development initiatives for citizens. In addition, the company is encouraging skills and advanced training among Saudi youth to help develop a sustainable industrial sector – and is paving the way for future generations to pursue a career in manufacturing.