Marriott International recently celebrated its latest group of Tahseen graduates and announced the third iteration of the training programme, which aims to springboard local Saudi talent into leadership roles within the hospitality industry.

This announcement follows the success of the Tahseen class of 2019 in Saudi Arabia which saw 37 graduates – 33 Saudi nationals and four Bahrain nationals – step into management positions within Marriott International properties.

The Tahseen programme was developed in 2017 in partnership with Cornell University to specifically focus on fast tracking the next generation of local hospitality leaders from Saudi Arabia. The 12-month programme focuses on applying practical skills across all departments, as well as developing an in depth understanding of leadership skills. The training is led by teams from Marriott International’s participating hotels with the goal of accelerating candidates into leadership roles. Tahseen Saudi Arabia has delivered results - the first year of graduates stepped into managerial positions in 2018 and over 30 per cent received an additional promotion within the first 12 months at their respective properties. 

With the success of Tahseen in Saudi Arabia, the program rolled out across other MEA markets, including Egypt in 2018 and the UAE and Bahrain last year. Tahseen Egypt was developed in partnership with Helwan University and Professional Development Foundation (PDF) and received the Ministry of Higher Education’s approval, earning a bachelor’s degree accreditation in 2019. To date, Tahseen has enrolled a total of 282 students across the specified regions.

Francisca Martinez, chief HR officer, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Marriott International said: “Marriott International has a long history of investing in programmes that help young people develop skills that are critical in today’s dynamic working environment. Within two years of the programme launch, Tahseen has successfully placed more than 65 Saudi and Bahrain nationals in managerial roles. We are delighted to see over 50 new Tahseen candidates join the third year of the program and we look forward to attracting more talented and ambitious professionals to become the next generation of hospitality leaders in Saudi Arabia.”

In line with Marriott International’s growth strategy for the kingdom and expected pipeline of 6,000 new jobs in the next five years, Tahseen will continue to provide career opportunities for Saudi nationals in the hospitality industry.

Tahseen will also support the country’s growing travel sector as the hospitality industry was identified last year by the Saudi Arabia Ministry of Labor as a key sector for Saudisation to encourage greater employment amongst locals and support and sustain the increase of tourism.

With the best track record globally for hospitality education, Cornell University offers all Tahseen candidates first-hand experience through its e-learning platforms and a university-led development program tailored specifically for the programme. - TradeArabia News Service