RIYADH: As many as 2.3 million Saudi nationals joined the private sector in December, official data showed. A report issued by the National Labor Observatory showed that of the total number of citizens, 40.82 percent were females. The overall employment in the Kingdom’s private sectors edged up by 0.92 percent to reach 10.9 million in December as compared to the previous month, it added. Data showed that 8.6 million non-Saudis also joined the private sector workforce. The report represents a positive trend as the private sector continues to expand its workforce, creating opportunities for citizens. Of the total number of non-Saudi workers, only 3.86 percent were females. In December alone, the net increase in employment of Saudi citizens reached 44,796, indicating a steady rise in job opportunities in the private sector. In November, the NLO released a first-of-its-kind report that disclosed that the number of Saudis with more than 20 years of experience in the private sector was above 123,000. The report also highlighted that this rise was mainly attributed to the efforts exerted by the sector, such as financial incentives and rewards. In addition, private firms also offer continuous training and development driven by government support, retention, and nationalization programs. Moreover, in 2021, a study revealed that the Kingdom’s private sector is hiring women at twice the rate of the public sector. Between the beginning of 2019 and the end of 2020, the number of Saudi women in the labor market grew by 64 percent as the country underwent several social reforms. The study, commissioned by the US think tank Brookings Institute, showed the surge was “genuine” and led by the private sector. Saudi Arabia’s economic diversification path has turned the Kingdom into a hub for employment opportunities thanks to its bold giga-projects, including NEOM, attracting fresh talent into the construction sector.