As the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) moves forward with its aspirations to diversify the economy and develop public service sectors in line with Vision 2030, Boston Consulting Group (BCG) continues to make valuable contributions as the country makes sustained progress on the path towards a sustainable future by investing in the workforce of tomorrow. Driven by an unwavering commitment to equip up-and-coming talent with the skillsets and competencies required to realize their potential and make a real impact in their chosen fields, this past April saw the global strategy consulting firm launch the third edition of its Jeel Tamooh program.
The class of 2021 welcomed 109 of the most talented students from the Kingdom’s top higher education institutions – including Alfaisal University, King Saud University, and Prince Sultan University – with the aim of once again inspiring participants and nurturing the next generation of leaders. Yet the foundations for students to capitalize on the advantages Jeel Tamooh provides both now and in the future have already been laid in 2019 and 2020, with the professional ascension Jeel Tamooh alumni have enjoyed since completing the program made possible by fostering creativity, ambition, and proper application in their chosen professional careers.
Mariam Khursheed Ahmed joined Jeel Tamooh’s second edition in 2020, driven by her passion for data science and interest in the management consultancy industry. Today, she is a Data Analyst at a prominent organization. Mariam credits Jeel Tamooh with a large portion of her career accomplishments to date, and offers some advice for others wishing to pursue the same route.
“BCG’s Jeel Tamooh Program not only taught me what it takes to enter our industry, but also sparked a desire within to explore my capabilities, enabling me to consider varying perspectives across different deliverables,” Mariam revealed.“Looking back, this period has definitely been a key driver in my development. The benefits of Jeel Tamooh go way beyond the program’s content, and the stories of the speakers initiate the very spark needed to enter consulting or any profession fully prepared. For those that join in future editions, I am confident they will find a similar spark, which can be utilized to give back to society with hard work and dedication.”
The profile and popularity of Jeel Tamooh have continued to develop swiftly since its inception in 2019 for several reasons. In addition to keynote speeches, interactive workshops, virtual networking sessions, self-study materials, and personal development assessments, the program also guides, encourages, and equips emerging talent before they enter different industries. Buna Salem Alqahtani is member of the first edition alumni, who has since become a fintech specialist and Assistant Payments Supervisor at a leading Saudi bank. Buna helps to unlock the potential of fintech and digital payments while striving to ensure technology and innovation accelerates business and financial industry progression. She attributes her career journey to Jeel Tamooh, and also harbors aspirations to continue her association with the program.
“The opportunity to network with like-minded people and receive advice from experienced, professional consultants at BCGis what attracted me to Jeel Tamooh,” explained Buna. “I’ve learned that personal victories in life transpire having invested in yourself during the early stages of your development. Although I was placed outside of my comfort zone initially, this ensured I was ready to work directly with senior personnel as a young employee, as did the inspiring interactive sessions. The experience enabled me with the opportunity to join reputable companies in a full-time capacity, and equipped with the capabilities required to contribute and succeed. I hope I can be of assistance to the Jeel Tamoohprogram in due course, and I will be happy to lead any programs or campaigns that provide the same benefits I was afforded.”
The advice that comes via Jeel Tamooh is equally valued by Mohammed Rashed Aldossary, who was a member of the second edition and has since become a Process Engineer at a leading National Oil Company (NOC). Mohammed applied for the program to become accustomed with problem solving tools and methodologies, and his experience in 2020 is one that he now relies upon regularly.
“Every problem has a solution,”he explained. “Today, my engineer role includes monitoring the plant process and advising our team about how to make adjustments and enhancements when necessary. Problem solving here is essential, while challenges have also arisen frequently during the pandemic, with resilience, flexibility, and excellent planning essential for overcoming issues. Fortunately, I have the knowledge and skillsets required to come up with practical solutions thanks to Jeel Tamooh, which enabled me to tackle problems and solve them. For anyone thinking of joining now or in the future, they should utilize the benefits of the program by learning to solve problems and help others in their line of work.”
Jeel Tamooh also serves as a platform for talent to pursue a career within BCG, and several members have secured opportunities following their participation. Layal Alharbi, who joined Jeel Tamooh for its inaugural edition, is now a Visiting Junior Associate at BCG and she insists the program has directly influenced her current success.
“The skills I developed, the connections I made, and the lessons I learned during my Jeel Tamooh journey opened the door to new possibilities, with the most important being my job today at BCG,” said Layal. “The program allowed me to broaden my consulting industry knowledge, network with similarly-driven individuals, and help unlock the potential of those who advance the world. The feeling of accomplishment at the end of my time with Jeel Tamooh – after all of the hard work – was truly astonishing, and I’m very grateful for the experience.”
Since 2019, Jeel Tamooh has welcomed 324 students from Saudi Arabia’s top universities, honoring its 1:1 female to male ratio policy throughout this time. Participants have diverse backgrounds across engineering, business, sciences, and more, with many also actively involved in student associations, extracurricular activities, leadership initiatives, and volunteering programs that foster socially responsible global citizens committed to lifelong learning and personal development in service of others. Although Jeel Tamooh is still relatively in its infancy, the impact it has had on participants’ career prospects and progression has laid the framework for sustained success in the years ahead.
“For BCG, investing in tomorrow’s workforce is an obligation that we have always been proud to uphold,” said Philippe Cornette de Saint Cyr,Head of BCG Riyadh. “Saudi Arabia’s future is one full of possibilities, and exploring them in their entirety hinges on younger generations being equipped for what lies ahead across professional dimensions. Jeel Tamooh was introduced to ensure full preparedness for the workforce of tomorrow, and we are proud that our vision for the program is transpiring as we had envisaged.”