RIYADH: Hundreds of job-seekers explored opportunities as dozens of public and private sector entities participated in the 9th “A Step Ahead” career fair that concluded on Friday in Riyadh. The fair and conference that ran for three days brought together employers, job-seekers and professionals under one roof, allowing them to find opportunities, highlight their skills for immediate personal interviews, through a digital process in most of the booths. During the fair, about 120 group counseling and career guidance sessions were conducted. The fair was accompanied by a scientific conference dedicated to human resources leaders, under the slogan “War of Talents” in which many leaders in the human capital sector are present. The fair included a pavilion of the mega-projects in Saudi Arabia, attracting large numbers of visitors. The pavilion of the Ministry of Culture and its various bodies reflected the artistic cultural heritage of the Kingdom.  It also offered visitors the opportunity to learn about Saudi arts, in addition to presenting the initiatives of the National Strategy for Culture. The pavilions of the Ministry of Defense, the Royal Commission for AlUla and the General Organization for Social Insurance were also visited by dozens of job-seekers. The fair was also accompanied by a conference that hosted Saudi entrepreneurs and prominent figures to present their experiences to job-seekers. Sarah Al-Tasan looked excited as she searched for a suitable job opportunity in the cyber-security sector. Al-Tasan graduated in May from the MAS Institute accredited by the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation, and traveled abroad less than a week after graduation to develop her English language skills. She praised the interaction of the establishments participating in the fair saying: “It is something that honors and gives a positive energy.” Al-Tasan submitted her CV to more than one company, and said “everyone gets me excited as they really need this specialization.” Abdulrahman Al-Dawsari, who holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Qassim University, heard about the fair from his brother, and is optimistic about obtaining a job. Al-Dawsari was keen to attend the first day of the fair because he expected that, on the opening day, those in charge of the booths would be crowded. “I am confident that the participants in the fair are keen to attract talent for the vacant opportunities they have through … I advise the unemployed to attend such employment fairs and seriously search for job opportunities there,” he said.