RIYADH: The number of Saudi nationals in the private sector rose 10.5 percent in the second quarter of 2023 to reach 2.2 million, a report by the National Labor Observatory showed. It revealed an average quarterly growth of about 42,000 citizens in the private sector until the current year"s second quarter. The rise was attributed to a strong economic rebound that led to an increase in the workforce. The report also reviewed industry changes and Saudization figures for jobs in private sector establishments based on different regions across the Kingdom. It showed that the number of Saudi employees recorded the most significant increase for both genders, with males standing at 1.3 million, compared to about 900,000 females, bringing the total Saudization rate to 22.3 percent. The Eastern Province took the lead, recording the highest Saudization rate of 27 percent, followed by Makkah at 24 percent and Riyadh and Madinah at 21 percent each. The information and communications sector also achieved a strong participation rate for male citizens, reaching 60 percent, while education achieved the highest engagement of female citizens at 53 percent. In May 2022, the Saudi Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development announced that it was focusing on a skills strategy to improve professional standards for workers and those entering the labor market, according to Abdullah Abuthnain, the vice minister. Abuthnain noted that the initiative would benefit more than 200 professions, with councils establishing employment standards and on-the-job training programs in critical economic sectors. “We, at HRDF, will work to develop and implement labor market policies by creating a sustainable national workforce, developing human cadres’ skills, providing them with knowledge and qualifications, and aligning them with labor market and job needs,” he said at the time.