Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Al-Rasheed has been a consultant with the Human Resources Development Fund’s National Labor Observatory since 2016. He advises it on ways in which the skills of employees and job seekers can be enhanced, and suggests training options that are particularly suited to the requirements of the Saudi labor market.
Al-Rasheed has also worked in a number of departments at the National Information Center, including networks and communications management, research and development, quality, service, security audit, and processes management. He headed committees responsible for important areas such as security, policies, IT governance, the problem management, employee performance, and employment development and training.
He is highly competent in Total Quality Management and Just in Time (TQM/JIT) strategies, IT service management, organizational transformation leadership, and strategy, enterprise architecture, program and project management, people and organizational management, IT governance and ISO standards.
He believes it is necessary to support the work of educational research institutions so that they carry out productive research through creativity and innovation, the results of which can be applied in the industrial sector.
Al-Rasheed graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from California State University in Sacramento in the US. He obtained a master’s degree in industrial engineering management in 1993 at the University of Bradford in the UK, where he also completed his doctorate in the application of TQM/JIT quality-management concepts in services.
He recently wrote a book titled “Service and Product Quality Management,” which is considered a comprehensive guide and authority on quality management.
Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Al-Rasheed, consultant with HRDF’s National Labor Observatory
https://arab.news/r92rp
Dr. Abdullah Mohammed Al-Rasheed, consultant with HRDF’s National Labor Observatory
- Al-Rasheed graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from California State University in Sacramento in the US
Saudi Fashion Commission charts new course with elite training programs
- Partnership features “innovative educational programs combining cutting-edge knowledge with practical experience, creating a platform for designers, brand owners, and investors to thrive in the fashion world"
RIYADH: The Saudi Fashion Commission has partnered with the Institut Français de la Mode and Misk Foundation to launch a new educational initiative, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.
The partnership features “innovative educational programs combining cutting-edge knowledge with practical experience, creating a platform for designers, brand owners, and investors to thrive in the fashion world,” according to the SPA.
The initiative consists of five training courses, including the Executive Business Management Qualification in Fashion, which has three phases: virtual training, in-person training in Riyadh and Paris, and project development. It includes preliminary sessions in Riyadh covering planning, marketing, sales, brand identity, business strategy, and visual merchandising, while the Paris sessions focus on digital marketing, financial management, product development, and production.
The Advanced Sustainability Practices course will be delivered through virtual training and in-person sessions in Riyadh. It covers fashion sustainability fundamentals, the circular fashion economy, sustainable fashion innovation and technology, and the implementation of sustainability measures and social responsibility through practical business models.
The Design Research course “bridges global trends with local heritage.” The six-day program establishes core project guidelines essential for fashion collection development, while “exploring creative intersections between contemporary global fashion, traditional materials, local textiles, and architectural influences,” the SPA reported. The two-phase course combines virtual learning with hands-on training in Paris.
The seven-day Visual Merchandising and Commerce course in Riyadh covers brand-building fundamentals, marketing essentials, visual display techniques, trend analysis and forecasting, business insights, and distribution strategies.
The Fashion Photography course offers six days of intensive training in Riyadh, providing “a comprehensive exploration of fashion photography with a blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application, focusing on visual storytelling in the industry,” the SPA stated.
Through its collaboration with IFM and Misk Foundation, the Fashion Commission “aims to elevate fashion education standards and provide individuals with fundamental tools for excellence in the competitive fashion world,” the SPA concluded.
Taif: A bee paradise, flourishes among wild flora
- Taif has established itself as a distinctive hub with its specialized honey market and diverse bee products
RIYADH: In the heart of Saudi Arabia, Taif’s beekeepers are revolutionizing honey production while staying true to their craft’s ancient roots.
The Saudi Press Agency reported that these artisans meticulously oversee every step of production, from harvesting pristine honeycombs to delivering the final product, adhering to rigorous quality standards that have made Taif honey renowned throughout the region.
“The honey supply chain begins long before the first drop is collected,” beekeeper Mohsen Al-Mudaifi said in an exclusive interview with the SPA. Operating about 500 hives, Al-Mudaifi’s operation yields an impressive 70-130 kg of honey during peak flowering seasons. His production line accommodates both traditional comb honey and liquid varieties, catering to diverse consumer preferences.
According to SPA, the secret to Taif’s thriving apiculture lies in its diverse landscape. The Tihama lowlands and the Sarawat highlands create a tapestry of microclimates rich in wild flora. This natural bounty includes aromatic shrubs, traditional thorn jujube trees, and a variety of indigenous plants such as acacia tortilis, sweet acacia and Astragalus.
The area also hosts distinctive mountain vegetation and the acacia asak plants. All these florae are considered premium honey-producing species, growing naturally in their pristine environment, and each contributing to the region’s distinctive honey varieties.
Taif has established itself as a distinctive hub with its specialized honey market and diverse bee products, anchored by a vibrant weekly honey auction. The practice, deeply woven into the region’s cultural fabric, has been passed down through generations.
In an annual ritual, beekeepers from the Sarawat mountains and Ghazwan peaks prepare for their seasonal migration, SPA reported.
This carefully orchestrated movement will soon see millions of bees transported in cylindrical or square hives to warmer climates, particularly to Taif’s Tihama region. Many will find their winter home in Al-Buhaita Wild Park, a sanctuary that has become both a tourist destination and a crucial waypoint in Taif’s honey production cycle.
MEWA and NCVC launch National Afforestation Season in Riyadh
RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, along with the National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification, launched the National Afforestation Season for this year on Thursday in Riyadh under the title: “We Plant for Our Future.”
Khalid Al-Abdulqader, CEO of the NCVC, expressed his commitment to raising awareness about the significance of afforestation. He emphasized the need to support efforts to enhance vegetation cover and mitigate land degradation.
Through this season, the CEO aims to promote environmental sustainability and encourage the cultivation of local plants to improve the biodiversity and sustainable ecosystems in the Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia is taking further steps toward achieving the ultimate goal of the Saudi Green Initiative, SGI, which is to plant 10 billion trees and rehabilitate 40 million hectares.
However, it requires strengthening partnerships with multiple sectors including the public and private sectors, and promoting volunteering among the society to achieve sustainable development goals.
The planting season also seeks to increase “tree planting” culture in Saudi Arabia, improve vegetation cover, and reduce land degradation by growing more local plants.
This initiative marks a new phase in environmental protection efforts, which have already led to the planting of more than 95 million trees across the country through collaborations between public and private sectors.
Previous partnerships have successfully rehabilitated 118,000 hectares of land and protected more than 4.3 million hectares, while this year, the target is to contribute to the SGI’s goal of planting 10 billion trees.
The Kingdom has been encouraging afforestation recently to tackle several environmental issues such as the rapidly changing climate, through lowering regional temperatures and controlling the severity of drought.
Saudi Arabia called on the world’s policymakers last month to urgently address land destruction and drought, especially since the country will be hosting the 16th UN Convention to Combat Desertification COP16 in Riyadh in December.
Saudi Arabia affirms high workplace safety standards in response to false reports
- Kingdom has one of the world’s lowest rates of workplace fatalities, says oversight council
RIYADH: In response to false reports, Saudi Arabia’s government has affirmed that the Kingdom has one of the world’s lowest rates of workplace fatalities, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The National Council for Occupational Safety and Health issued a statement, carried by the SPA, highlighting that work-related fatalities stand at 1.12 per 100,000 workers.
“The International Labour Organization acknowledges this progress, highlighting … that Saudi Arabia has made significant advancements in improving occupational safety and health and reducing workplace accidents at the national level,” the council stated.
“Similar commendations have been offered by other reputable international organizations, including the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management and the British Safety Council.”
The council was created primarily to integrate national policies and global best practices for occupational safety and health in the workplace.
On the legislative side, Saudi Arabia’s labor laws have mandated that employers provide comprehensive health insurance including essential preventive, therapeutic and healthcare services for all employees, the council stated.
The statement added: “Regulations also restrict work under direct sunlight during the summer months and establish working hours in accordance with international standards set forth in relevant ILO agreements.
“We emphasize the importance of verifying information and sourcing it from credible outlets.”
Thousands of volunteers join Madinah’s green future drive
MADINAH: Ayman bin Mohammed Al-Sayed, director general of the environment, water and agriculture branch in Madinah, has launched the “2024 National Planting Season” in the city.
The program extends the ministry’s nationwide campaign “We Plant for Our Future,” supporting sustainable environmental development and vegetation growth as part of the Saudi Green Initiative.
The regional campaign features 36 volunteer programs involving more than 1,800 female and male participants. Plans include planting 50,000 water-efficient and environmentally sustainable seedlings, comprising mesquites, thorn jujube and sweet acacia trees, alongside 20 other wild plant species, aiming to boost environmental and agricultural awareness.
The campaign’s first phase targets education facilities, Prince Sultan Military Medical City and the Saudi Authority for Industrial and Technology Zones, or Modon.
This effort focuses on expanding green spaces, streamlining planting processes, and encouraging community-wide participation in vegetation preservation and planting initiatives.
