RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — December 25, 2025 — Riyadh Air has announced a new overseas aviation training scholarship initiative built on an “Employment-First” approach. The program is planned to launch multiple scholarship tracks, beginning with two specialist pathways for aircraft maintenance engineers in Australia, followed by a commercial pilot training track in the United States.
The Riyadh Air initiative sits under “Promising Path,” one of the streams within the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Scholarship Program, and is delivered in collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Transport & Logistics Services, along with the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The goal is to strengthen national capabilities and help develop a new generation of aviation professionals through structured training and education.
In its first phase, Riyadh Air will sponsor scholarship students to study in Australia toward bachelor’s degrees in Aircraft Maintenance Engineering, covering both Mechanical and Avionics (Electronics) specializations. The company also said that a commercial aviation training opportunity in the United States is scheduled to open next month.
A defining feature of the Riyadh Air Employment-First Scholarship Program is that participants will be hired before they begin their studies overseas. This structure is intended to support early career stability and ensure participants’ professional experience is recorded with the General Organization for Social Insurance, helping build readiness and recognized service from the start.
The scholarship launch forms part of Riyadh Air’s broader efforts to develop Saudi talent and equip the Kingdom’s young workforce with industry-relevant skills and knowledge. The long-term objective is to support the future pipeline of specialists needed for Saudi Arabia’s growing aviation sector.
Nahar AlJahani, Vice President of Talent Acquisition and Business Partners at Riyadh Air, said the Employment-First model reflects the company’s commitment to developing national human capital and enabling Saudi men and women to access world-class education. She added that the program’s impact is expected to support aviation sector growth in the Kingdom and contribute to Riyadh Air’s goal of creating more than 200,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Through these training pathways, Riyadh Air says it aims to help Saudi graduates compete globally while building a stronger foundation of aviation expertise for the Kingdom’s future.
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