JEDDAH: The Saudi General Entertainment Authority (GEA) has initiated an international scholarship program with the launch of its first batch of students. The program, being run in partnership with the Qiddiya Investment Co. (QIC), is aimed at educating and training students in entertainment-related disciplines at some of the most prestigious universities in the world. In the first wave, students will study for bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College, in Orlando, to give them the skills and knowledge necessary to meet the labor market trends of the Kingdom’s entertainment sector. The initial program will also include on-the-job training for selected students at a Six Flags amusement park in the US, and QIC employment upon successful completion of the scheme. The program will enable QIC to achieve its goal of offering a significant portion of future job opportunities to Saudi nationals, with more than 25,000 roles expected to become available by 2030. CEO of the GEA, Amr Banja, said: “This cooperative effort between the GEA and Qiddiya reiterates the GEA’s commitment toward developing the entertainment sector and empowering it through local talent.” He added that the scholarship program sought to develop local content by adopting local expertise in a global perspective, in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 reform plans for the sector. Michael Reininger, CEO of QIC, said: “Our partnership with the GEA is an example of QIC’s concerted efforts to build and foster a new breed of skilled professionals that will service newly created sectors in the Kingdom and cultivate the human resources that will be instrumental in developing them to their full potential. “We are proud of this partnership, and we look forward to welcoming the sponsored students back, upon completion of their degrees, to work at Qiddiya and apply their learning and experiences to real life scenarios and begin their journey of successful careers in this rapidly growing sector.” To register for the program, visit https://www.gea.gov.sa/hr-development/qiddiya/