DoubleTree Hilton Riyadh – Al Muroj Business Gate is moving full-speed ahead with its stated goal to identify, hire, train and mentor the best Saudi nationals who want to build a career in the hospitality sector in the kingdom.

Forty per cent of the management team at DoubleTree by Hilton Riyadh – Al Muroj Business Gate is Saudi. The hotel has been successful at attracting a significant number of highly qualified Saudi nationals working across all departments, from business development, food and beverages and housekeeping to administration, the front office and reservations.

A strong desire to move up the career ladder is part of what DoubleTree by Hilton Riyadh expects from all its employees,

“I started my career in DoubleTree by Hilton Riyadh as a receptionist,” said Saud Alotaibi, who is a front office shift leader at the hotel. “I was lucky to be enrolled in Hilton’s Mudeer Al Mustaqbal, which is the manager of the future programme that covers operational and all-round experiences in food and beverage (F&B), front office and housekeeping, while working within the main operational areas. “Afterwards, I was sent to Germany to take part in Hilton’s Front Office Academy programme.” A year later, Alotaibi was promoted from a receptionist to a front office shift leader.

Hilton Riyadh knows that one aspect of the government’s 2030 Vision is to increase the number of jobs occupied by Saudi nationals in the tourism and hospitality sector.

By 2020, the National Transformation Program hopes to increase Saudis employed in the tourism and national heritage sector. Industry reports state that the national tourism development programme aims to Saudize a large percentage of the sector’s 900,000 jobs. Currently, the tourism sector is the second largest employer of Saudi nationals in the kingdom.

To attract more Saudis and take advantage of the local talent pool in the hospitality sector, DoubleTree by Hilton Riyadh – Al Muroj Business Gate offers its employees the opportunity to participate in the development programme, which is designed for recent graduates or newly promoted front office leaders to fast track to management positions. Front Office Academy (FOA) is a three-day course intended to introduce front office personnel to the tools, resources and operational expectations of the department.

Participants in the FOA have access to Hilton Worldwide University, an online learning platform that offers participants access to 2,500 courses on e-books and webinars. Participants are assessed and mentored by senior managers within Hilton to ensure they are learning and developing.

Saudi national Eyad Alrefaee who is a management trainee in the hotel, is another example of the hotel’s initiative at work. He joined the hotel as a trainee manager during the pre-opening phase, and that exposed him for a full year to the hotel’s various departments. He is now progressing to become the Manger of Operations.

“There is a great opportunity for the hospitality industry to invest in the national workforce of the kingdom,” said Hans Schiller, who is the hotel general manager. “Our strategy has always been focused on attracting highly educated Saudi nationals and empowering them with necessary skills and expertise to pursue a successful career in hospitality.” - TradeArabia News Service