Riyadh – His Excellency Dr. Abdullah bin Nasser Abuthnain, Vice Minister of Human Resources and Social Development for Labor, inaugurated the second edition of the Global Labor Market Academy in Riyadh, held from 23 to 25 January 2026. The academy brought together participants from 31 countries, including 19 countries joining for the first time and 12 countries returning from the 2025 edition.

The Global Labor Market Academy aims to serve as a dedicated platform for the exchange of expertise on emerging global labor market trends, the exploration of innovative policy solutions, and the delivery of a year-long academic program focused on capacity building and the development of effective labor market policies at the international level.

During the opening of the event, His Excellency the Vice Minister for Labor affirmed that the Global Labor Market Academy represents a practical model for international capacity building, reflecting a shift from dialogue on labor market challenges to the development of actionable and implementable solutions. He noted that this approach is driven by equipping policymakers with evidence-based tools and knowledge, alongside strengthening international cooperation to design effective reforms that respond to rapid labor market transformations and support sustainable employment opportunities.

The first day of the Academy’s activities in Riyadh featured introductory sessions outlining the Academy’s track and its objectives in supporting policy development and strengthening international knowledge exchange in employment and capacity building. These were followed by specialized sessions led by World Bank experts addressing the role of social and labor policies in advancing the jobs agenda, responding to global employment challenges, and highlighting proven and promising solutions to enhance youth employment opportunities.

The first day also included applied case studies on labor market information systems, featuring experiences from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Bahrain on the use of data in policymaking. The day concluded with a collective hands-on exercise focused on designing implementable labor market programs, reflecting the Academy’s core approach of translating knowledge into practical policy tools.

On its second day, the Academy’s program is set to shift to the implementation of labor market policies, with a focus on strengthening linkages between social protection systems and labor market services, and on building sustainable transition pathways from social support to employment opportunities. Sessions will address the jobseeker journey, the efficiency of employment services, and women’s economic empowerment through the presentation of international experiences, including a case study from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia presented by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

The Academy’s activities will conclude on the third day with a focus on major trends shaping the future of labor markets, including discussions on labor market transformations, the impact of artificial intelligence, digital jobs, and future skills.

Participants will also undertake field visits to the TVTC Colleges of Excellence, represented by the Saudi Logistics Academy and the International Aviation Technical College, in addition to a visit to the “Qiwa” platform, the unified gateway for the Saudi labor market. These visits aim to showcase the Kingdom’s experience in sectoral skills development and the digitization of labor market services, with the event concluding with a certificate awarding ceremony.

With the inclusion of new countries from various geographic regions, the total number of countries participating in the Academy has now reached 50, with a target of exceeding 75 countries between 2025 and 2028.

The Global Labor Market Academy is one of the flagship year-round initiatives of the Global Labor Market Conference. It was launched during the second edition of the Conference in January 2025 through a strategic partnership between the Global Labor Market Conference, the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the World Bank, and Takamol Holding Company.

About the Global Labor Market Conference

The Global Labor Market Conference (GLMC) is an international platform that brings together governments, international institutions, the private sector, experts, academics, and youth voices to examine the current state of global labor markets and shape their future. Through year-round initiatives and a flagship annual event, GLMC promotes evidence-based dialogue, knowledge exchange, and cross-sector collaboration to identify practical and sustainable solutions that support fair, resilient, and competitive labor markets.

Focusing on critical issues including workforce development, technological transformation, economic mobility, and the evolving nature of work, GLMC is committed to translating insights into practical and sustainable solutions that deliver real-world impact.

Program, Registration & Contact:
The full GLMC 2026 program is available on the website: https://www.glmc.com/glmc-2026

For more information or inquiries, please reach out to: media@glmc.com