In a significant move to bolster Saudi Arabia’s digital economy, DataVolt, a developer and operator of sustainable digital infrastructure, has announced the launch of the Kingdom’s first fully industry-integrated national Diploma in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence. The initiative is a strategic collaboration with the Energy & Water Academy (EWA), a non-profit vocational training institute, and Innovatics, a leading educator in the data science field.
Bridging the AI Talent Gap for Vision 2030
This first-of-its-kind program is designed to directly address the Kingdom’s AI talent gap and align with the goals of Vision 2030 and the National Strategy for Data & AI (NSDAI). With the AI market projected to contribute $320 billion to the Middle East economy by 2030, and the NSDAI calling for 20,000 AI specialists in the next five years, this diploma aims to equip local professionals with the specialized skills needed to lead this transformation.
The program has received full approval from the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) and College of Excellence (CoE), along with an endorsement from the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) and support from the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF).
A Unique Industry-Integrated Learning Model
Unlike traditional academic programs, this diploma uniquely merges classroom education with hands-on, applied projects. Students will work directly with sponsoring companies on real-world business challenges, developing Proof of Concept AI solutions to solve live problems. This practical approach ensures that graduates are not just theoretically knowledgeable but are job-ready with tangible industry experience from day one.
Salwa Smaoui, CEO of Innovatics, emphasized this, stating, “This diploma is not just education – it is a strategic workforce initiative. Our mission is to ensure every graduate is ready to contribute on day one of graduation to the kingdom’s most ambitious and cutting-edge AI projects.”
DataVolt’s Commitment and Call for Industry Sponsors
As a founding partner, DataVolt is leading by example, sponsoring five students from the inaugural cohort and guaranteeing their employment upon graduation. These graduates will support high-power density workloads at the company’s data centers, including its flagship AI factory campus currently under development in Oxagon. Rajit Nanda, CEO at DataVolt, commented, “We are not only building the Kingdom’s next-generation data centres but also the local Saudi talent to power them.”
The company is now inviting other industry players to join as co-sponsors to fund the full cohort of 100 students, which includes a 50% allocation for women, set to commence studies in November 2025.
About DataVolt
DataVolt is a developer, investor, and operator of sustainable digital infrastructure with a focus on building next-generation data centers across Saudi Arabia. The company is at the forefront of enabling the Kingdom’s AI capabilities, highlighted by its agreement with NEOM to develop the region’s first sustainable, net-zero AI factory campus at Oxagon. This project represents an initial investment of $5 billion for its first phase.
Source: Zawya
