Official government website of the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 
His Royal Highness Prince Dr. Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Qassim region, affirmed that the labor market is the true guide for educational specializations, noting that the lack of alignment between some specializations and market needs may limit employment opportunities for graduates.
His Highness emphasized the importance of focusing educational and training outcomes on the actual requirements of the labor market, ensuring the preparation of cadres capable of rapid integration into the work environment. He affirmed that the state pays great attention to applied colleges due to their role in bridging the gap between education and professional needs.
His Highness clarified that there is a fundamental difference between a job and a profession. A job is limited to specific tasks, while a profession is based on professionalism, specialization, and skill. He pointed out that applied education represents an important path for building true professions that align with development requirements and the labor market.
His Royal Highness the Emir of the Qassim region praised
Through the university's efforts to develop applied college programs and enhance their integration with various sectors, in line with the goals of the Kingdom's Vision 2030 in building a sustainable knowledge-based and skills-based economy.
This came during the Crown Prince's briefing today on the Applied College's experience and programs at the university, in the presence of His Highness Prince Fahd bin Saad bin Faisal bin Saad, Deputy Governor of Al-Qassim Region, and a number of officials.
His Excellency, University President Professor Dr. Mohammed bin Fahad Al-Sharikh, spoke during the meeting about the establishment of the Applied College and its regulations. He explained that the establishment of applied colleges came in response to the decisions of the Council of University Affairs to transform a number of theoretical colleges in the Kingdom, and as part of the transformations witnessed by the higher education sector. He emphasized that the university was keen to continue offering its programs within its campuses in the governorates under its new structure. The Applied College offers more than 22 applied programs in 10 branches within the main campus of the university and in a number of its campuses in the governorates of the region, reflecting the university's commitment to expanding applied education opportunities and meeting the needs of the labor market in various cities and governorates of Qassim.
On his part, the Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Fahd Al-Ahmad, pointed to the great diversity in the Applied College's programs and its various opportunities that provide students with multiple educational and professional paths, all designed according to the needs of the labor market and the Saudi classification of professions, and linked to field training and practical qualification. His Excellency also highlighted the most important difficulties facing the Applied College and their repercussions on student retention. He affirmed the university's keenness to enhance the college's programs and their integration with bachelor's programs, enabling students to transition smoothly between educational tracks, broaden their learning horizons, and enhance their career opportunities.
In the same context, the CEO of the Applied College at Qassim University, Dr. Mohammed Al-Arini, reviewed the college's efforts in aligning professional certificates with educational programs, emphasizing that this integration contributes to preparing qualified national competencies for the labor market. He explained that the college enables its students to obtain accredited professional certificates from more than 500 local and international academic and training institutions, in addition to cooperating with international professional centers that offer accredited exams and courses in various technical and professional fields.
He pointed out that the college offers a number of applied courses that contribute to enhancing students' skills, serving the community, and raising the efficiency of human capital. In addition, it has entered into more than 20 professional partnerships with governmental and private entities to support students' educational and professional paths and enhance their readiness for the labor market.
His Highness also honored the members of the Standing Committee for Supervision and Partnership and the members of the Executive Council of the Applied College at the University, in appreciation of their efforts in achieving the college programs' objectives.
