The Apple Developer Academy, in partnership with Tuwaiq Academy, celebrated the graduation of its fifth cohort at The Garage in Riyadh, with 192 female students completing a nine-month program. The scheme brought together participants from diverse academic and professional backgrounds and focused on technical expertise, design thinking, and professional and creative skills, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday.
Graduates Showcase Innovative Apps
During the ceremony, graduates demonstrated innovative apps and technology solutions developed during their studies, highlighting the academy’s hands-on, collaborative approach to learning. Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of worldwide developer relations, praised the graduates’ passion and their ability to create impactful solutions through technical excellence and purposeful design. She also expressed her pleasure at celebrating the academy’s fifth graduate cohort in the Kingdom.
Tuwaiq Academy CEO Highlights Commitment
Tuwaiq Academy CEO Abdulaziz Al-Hammadi said the event reflected the academy’s commitment to developing a new generation of Saudi talent in emerging technologies through strategic global partnerships that facilitate knowledge transfer, strengthen skills and empower innovators. This, he said, enhanced graduates’ ability to lead innovation, compete internationally, and create meaningful impact. Al-Hammadi announced that all graduates would receive membership at The Garage, giving them access to co-working spaces, workshops, and the academy’s accelerator and incubator programs.
Supporting Digital Economy and Vision 2030
Through its partnership with Apple, Tuwaiq Academy continues to develop highly skilled talent, supporting the digital economy and preparing graduates to compete in local and global markets. The Apple Developer Academy is the first facility of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa. It aims to equip female developers with advanced technical skills and enable them to contribute to the digital economy, in line with Saudi Vision 2030’s goals to develop human capital and advance emerging technologies.
About Tuwaiq Academy
Established in 2019, Tuwaiq Academy is the Kingdom’s first institution dedicated to developing national talent in advanced technologies. It offers a range of professional boot camps through partnerships with companies such as Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Google, IBM and Amazon. As the training arm of the Saudi Federation for Cybersecurity, Programming and Drones, it aims to bridge the gap between rapid technological advancements and labor market needs.
New Program Launched with Apple
In partnership with Apple, the academy has also launched a program to develop technical skills and empower participants to create innovative technology solutions using artificial intelligence and advanced Apple technologies. The nine-month program will begin in August at the academy’s headquarters in Riyadh. It targets participants from various age groups and academic backgrounds, providing a collaborative, challenge-based learning environment to help them develop apps and transform ideas into scalable technology projects. The program also offers access to the latest Apple technologies, financial support and assistance in developing projects into potential investment opportunities during the training period.
