Microsoft Arabia, in partnership with the National IT Academy (NITA), has announced the launch of its inaugural Datacenter Academy in the Middle East, located in Saudi Arabia. This two-year programme is designed to equip students with practical data centre skills, enhancing their employability in technical roles and contributing to the Kingdom’s economic diversification.
The initiative aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, aiming to develop a skilled national workforce to lead the region’s data centre industry and drive digital transformation. NITA’s executive director, Nora Al-Shaikh, stated, “This partnership with Microsoft represents a significant milestone in our journey to establish Saudi Arabia as a global hub for data centres.”
The curriculum focuses on areas such as IT support, cloud technologies, and data centre operations, providing participants with globally recognised certifications. Microsoft Arabia’s vice president of national digital transformation, Zainab Alamin, noted, “This academy will equip professionals with the highly specialised technical skills needed to thrive in the era of AI.”
This development follows Microsoft’s recent progress on its data centre region in Saudi Arabia, with construction completed on three Azure Availability Zones and availability anticipated in 2026. The Kingdom’s cloud market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 16.54%, reaching $5.19 billion by 2029.
