flyadeal, one of the youngest and fastest-growing low-cost airlines in the Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East, has partnered with Coursera, a global online learning platform, to help reskill its employees for today’s digital world. This partnership aims to equip flyadeal’s workforce with skills in areas such as technology, business, supply chain management, customer service, operational efficiency, and finance.
With the rapid advancements in technology and AI, the need for continuous learning has never been more critical. According to the World Economic Forum, 44% of workers’ skills will be disrupted in the next five years as technology adoption accelerates.
Furthermore, WEF forecasts that 60% of workers will require retraining before 2027, but only half of workers currently have access to adequate training opportunities. In light of these trends, Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aims to cultivate a skilled workforce that will help drive economic growth and diversification through comprehensive skills development initiatives.
Through this partnership, flyadeal’s employees, including cabin crew, office employees, and maintenance staff, will have access to a broad catalogue of world-class content and credentials from top universities and reputable industry leaders. This access is designed to enhance their skills, boost productivity, and help them stay competitive in the evolving job market.
Hanan Badri, flyadeal Chief People Officer, said: “In the highly competitive world we live in, it’s important to provide employees with the necessary skills to evolve into the next phase of their careers.
“Our partnership with Coursera is an investment in our workforce designed to provide upskill training through online learning tools that improve their overall skills, not just industry related, but across different disciplines in business management, technology and personal development. We hope these free tools will give employees the confidence to embrace more learning opportunities to better themselves, to seek promotional opportunities and continue being part of the exciting journey of dynamic growth that flyadeal has embarked on.”
flyadeal seeks to reinforce a culture of continuous learning, leveraging Coursera’s robust online ecosystem to offer their employees a variety of accessible and dynamic learning opportunities. Online learning for flyadeal provides a more efficient and flexible training option, allowing employees to learn at their own pace and on their own schedule.
“We are thrilled to partner with flyadeal to support their dedication to ongoing professional development,” said Kais Zribi, Coursera’s General Manager for the Middle East and Africa.
“As Saudi Arabia aspires to become a provider in the digital economy, it is crucial for companies to build high-performing teams capable of adapting to change. Through this collaboration, we aim to equip flyadeal’s workforce with the skills necessary to thrive in the evolving economy and the ever-changing work landscape.”
This partnership between flyadeal and Coursera signifies a significant step towards nurturing a culture of lifelong learning within the airline industry in Saudi Arabia. As part of the Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, this initiative aligns with the broader goal of bridging talent gaps through upskilling, reflecting Saudi Arabia’s dedication to developing a skilled, tech-savvy workforce.
Coursera was launched in 2012 by two Stanford Computer Science professors, Andrew Ng and Daphne Koller, with a mission to provide universal access to world-class learning. It is now one of the largest online learning platforms in the world, with 148 million registered learners as of March 31, 2024.
Coursera partners with over 325 university and industry partners to offer a broad catalogue of content and credentials, including courses, Specializations, Professional Certificates, Guided Projects, and bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
Institutions around the world use Coursera to upskill and reskill their employees, citizens, and students in fields such as data science, technology, and business. Coursera became a Delaware public benefit corporation and a B Corp in February 2021.
On 23 September 2017, National Day of the Saudi Arabia, flyadeal began operations with its historic maiden flight from Jeddah to Riyadh. A pioneer and innovator, flyadeal was the first regional low-cost airline to be launched only across digital distribution channels. Being the sister airline of full-service national carrier Saudia — both under the umbrella ownership of Saudi Arabian Airlines Corporation, Saudia Group — flyadeal was created for the price-conscious and tech-savvy consumer in mind in a market where 80 per cent of the Saudi population is aged less than 40 years and has at least two mobile phones.
flyadeal aims to stimulate travel, tourism and trade with its affordable, value for money everyday fares catering to leisure, religious, family and business travellers. Simplicity is key with an all-Economy Class cabin across flyadeal’s fleet. With the Saudi Arabia undergoing dramatic transformation through its Vision 2030 economic diversification drive, aviation and tourism are among the many sectors earmarked for dynamic growth. Today, flyadeal is one of the youngest and fastest growing low-cost airlines in the Saudi Arabia and Middle East.
flyadeal operates a young fleet of Airbus A320 aircraft flying from bases in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam to towns and cities across Saudi Arabia with a growing international footprint in Europe, Middle East and Africa. The airline has flown over 30 million passengers since its inaugural flight. In May 2024, flyadeal placed its biggest ever order for 51 Airbus A320 family aircraft with a delivery schedule beginning in 2026. By 2030, flyadeal plans to operate hundreds of routes that will see its fleet and network triple in number to over 100 aircraft and destinations, respectively. flyadeal’s aggressive expansion drive makes the rapidly growing airline one of the country’s most desirable companies to work for.
