Technilogical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) is the central body responsible for validation of VET qualifications in Saudi Arabia. Qualifications are assessed by course work, exams, on the job training, or a combination of all three. Technilogical and Vocational Training Corporation
The qualifications focus on the Key Skills relevant to each programme. Currently, efforts are underway to include other skills such as communication skills, maths applications and team working.
Saudi Arabia has a number of VET qualifications.
Vocational Preparation Certificate and Vocational Training Certificate:
These are awarded by vocational institutes, and vary in duration and study mode. Graduates are classified as skilled or limited skilled. The vocational institutes determine the periods of the training programmes in compliance with the required training skills and determine the qualification and training levels according to Saudi Arabian vocational standards set by TVTC.
Vocational Institute Diploma:
Vocational institutes award these diplomas after completion of two training sessions including basic maths, physics, and English. Graduates are classified as technicians.
Technical College Diploma:
These diplomas are awarded by Technical Colleges after two years’ study, in addition to a co-operative training semester. Graduates are classified as Advanced Technicians/Assistant Engineers. These colleges target high school graduates from science and literature divisions, and present qualifications in technical, vocational and administrative fields.
Graduates receive an intermediate diploma certificate (e.g. Assistant Engineer in one of the technical fields, Executive Assistant in one of the administrative, financial or business fields). The technical colleges use the ‘semester’ method where the training year is divided into two semesters of 15 weeks’ duration.
To qualify as a graduate, a student needs to pass 64 to 75 training units (depending on their specialty), as well as a class in co-operative training.
Bachelor Degree:
This is awarded by one college only. At the applicative bachelor stage, a student needs to pass 75 training units and 12 qualifying training sessions in the English Language within one semester with a grade of not less than 70%. This follows training plans set by the Technical Colleges Council.
Other TVTC training programmes. Other training programmes include the vocational military programme and vocational training in prisons.
Civil training institutes and centres play a major role in encouraging the training sector. Private sector institutes are units established to provide technological training programmes for commercial purposes. The TVTC supervises these institutes through setting standard measures that inspect graduates’ skills.
Technical Training Institutes provide diploma level study lasting one or two years. These studies are mainly directed towards secondary school graduates and include specialist subjects such as computing, administration and technology.
Vocational Institutes provide training programmes for the commercial, industrial and construction sectors.
Training Centres provide qualifying and developing sessions for all age categories in vocational subjects that are required by the labour market.
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