What is the HRDF fund?

Launched in 2000, the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) is a recruitment and employee development programme being pursued by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Government. It’s designed to get more Saudi citizens into private sector roles in the economy, as well as to develop the existing skills of citizens already in the workplace. It does that through subsidising wages for a period of time and offering rebates on study for professional certification.

Under the scheme, the KSA Government will pay 30% of the salary or wages of Saudi nationals who gain a job in the private sector, for the first year that they’re employed

On top of this, the KSA Government is also offering a Professional Certification Support Fund which is designed to help people already in both private and public sector roles in the Saudi economy improve their skills and experience by gaining a professional qualification.

Under this program, the KSA Government will reimburse you up to 30,000 Saudi Riyal towards the cost of a professional certificate that you study. Each person who is eligible for the fund will be entitled to receive funding for two professional certificates.

How do you apply for the Professional Certification Support Fund?

You apply for the fund by applying directly on the dedicated website, after you have completed the certification. You submit your details in the Taqat system, and the details of your certificate and you’ll usually receive reimbursement for the cost of it.

The fact that the fund is retrospectively reimbursed might put off a few learners, but it’s ultimately an incredibly good deal. If you qualify for funding, you’ll be able to study two professional certificates essentially for free: a significant help when it comes to transitioning into HR or L&D, or climbing the career ladder.

Who’s eligible for the Professional Certification Support Program?

Unfortunately, HRDF funding, and funding for the Professional Certification Support Program, isn’t available for everyone. You’ll have to meet a few criteria in order to have the cost of your study covered by the KSA Government.

The Saudi government lists all of the requirements of the fund on their website which you can read here. To summarise, here are some of the requirements though:

● You need to be a Saudi citizen
● You need to be working in a private sector or public sector role, or currently looking for a job
● You’ll have to apply for reimbursement within 6 months of completing the course
● You have to pay for the cost of the qualification initially. The business or organisation you’re working for (if you have a job) cannot pay the costs of it.
● You’re only eligible for being reimbursed if you’re studying an accredited qualification that’s listed on the HRDF website.
● You’re only eligible for the funding of two certificates.

CIPD qualifications are among those that are accredited by the HRDF fund, meaning that you can study them and be eligible for the Professional Certification Support Program and the resulting reimbursement.

CIPD Qualifications: Your route to a career in HR and L&D

CIPD qualifications are widely regarded as one of the best Human Resources and Learning & Development qualifications that you could achieve. Rooted in the workplace and in giving you the practical skills that employers are looking for, CIPD qualifications are highly valued across the world thanks to the high level of skills and practical knowledge that they impart to those studying them.

CIPD qualifications are often considered to be ‘the’ qualification you need to have when working in HR or L&D.

CIPD offers qualifications for practically every level of career. This means that regardless of whether you’re starting out in HR or L&D for the first time or you’re firmly on your career path, there is a qualification available to help you develop your skills. In fact, the clear progression route of CIPD qualifications is a major draw for a lot of students, allowing you to build your skills in one place, without having to switch between different learning providers and different qualifications.

CIPD Level 3

The CIPD Level 3 qualifications are designed for people at the very start of their career in HR or L&D. Perfect for people coming into the people profession for the very first time, the CIPD Level 3 qualification covers the basic skills and knowledge that you’ll need for an entry-level position in the field. It’s a practical qualification that provides a great base to build future skills and experience on. There’s one qualification for both human resources and learning & development at Level 3:

● CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice

In the Foundation Certificate, you’ll learn about business culture and change, the principles of analytics, the essentials of people practice and the core behaviours that you’ll need in a people practice role.

CIPD Level 5

CIPD Level 5 qualifications are designed for people who have some experience of HR and L&D already and who are looking to enhance their skills and knowledge in more intermediate positions. It’s a useful qualification to tackle if you want a more senior position but lack some of the theoretical and practical knowledge that you might need for it. The CIPD offers two qualifications in HR and L&D at level 5:

● CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in People Management (HR)
● CIPD Level 5 Associate Diploma in Organisational Learning and Development (L&D)

If you’re a Saudi citizen considering a new career, or wanting to develop your existing one, the KSA Government’s HRDF fund makes building your HR that much easier. Covering the cost of professional qualifications, it can make your people profession career development a lot easier. We hope this article has given you some more information about how you can take part and get qualified for less!