Rigzone Holds Exclusive Interview with Aramco HR SVP

Fresh off the back of Saudi Aramco’s recently released third quarter 2025 results, Rigzone connected with Faisal A. Al-Hajji, Aramco Senior Vice President (SVP) of Human Resources, for a deep dive into a range of employment related topics.

In this exclusive Q&A session, Al-Hajji talks about career progression at Aramco, which skills he thinks will be most in demand over the next 5-10 years, and the effect of automation and artificial intelligence on jobs at the company, among a host of other subjects.

Rigzone: What does Aramco look for in an employee? How many people does Aramco employ at the moment?

Al-Hajji: At Aramco, we are fortunate to have a wealth of exceptional talent, both locally and internationally. Our robust talent pipeline is particularly strong within Saudi Arabia, where we consistently attract outstanding individuals from top-tier universities. These candidates typically boast high assessment scores, strong GPAs, and accredited certifications, ensuring a highly qualified and attractive talent pool, reaching an average 200+ of Saudi applicants daily.

This great pool is thoroughly reviewed through rigorous assessment processes and standardized interviews. At Aramco, we’re looking for talented individuals who can thrive in a dynamic and diverse energy company. While specific skills and qualifications vary by position, we prioritize candidates who are well-rounded, academically strong, and possess a positive and adaptable mindset. We seek professionals who are eager to learn, embrace new technologies, and contribute to a collaborative and innovative work environment.

We currently employ over 75,000 employees with diverse backgrounds, experiences, ages, and nationalities. Over 90 percent of our workforce is Saudi, while employees from more than 90 other nationalities make up the remainder, underscoring the remarkable diversity within our company. And that’s why we always look for candidates who are able to work seamlessly as part of a diverse, global team.

Rigzone: What does career progression, training, and development look like at Aramco?

Al-Hajji: Aramco has a proud history of providing opportunities for training and education over many decades, and I’m a testament to that, having benefited from the company’s scholarship program myself. For nearly three decades, our flagship initiative has enabled more than 8,000 students to attend top universities and then build their careers at Aramco.

We offer a range of programs to support the development of non-employees, such as sponsored students, including scholarship programs, internships, mentorship, and career development workshops. For our industrial and professional workforce, we have full-career path development programs that nurture both specialists and leaders, with thousands of customizable training and development options.

Our development Journey focuses on developing newcomers from day one, with foundational training and tailored programs that become more intense and focused as careers progress. We also have leadership development programs that enhance strategic thinking, innovation, and global leadership skills, including executive development programs, leadership competency development, and mentorship.

What’s unique about our approach is that we don’t do it alone. We partner with world-class educational and development institutions from around the world to bring the best practices, latest technologies, and cutting-edge research to our training programs. This collaboration enables us to provide our employees with world-class development opportunities, stay ahead of the curve, and drive innovation in the energy industry.

Overall, our training and development programs are designed to attract, retain, and develop a talented and diverse workforce, providing employees with the skills, knowledge, and opportunities they need to succeed in their careers and contribute to the company’s success.

Rigzone: How does Aramco handle cultural integration and workplace diversity?

Al-Hajji: Aramco has been a multicultural workforce for over 90 years, so inclusivity is part of our DNA. This long-standing commitment was reflected in the recent High Performing Employee Experience Award and designation Aramco received by Willis Towers Watson, which puts Aramco as the first major oil and gas company, and the first company headquartered in the Middle East, to achieve this distinction.  

Building on this, our equity and inclusion programs cover a range of specially developed and regularly updated online courses and in-person workshops designed to provide a cross-company introduction to, and reinforcement of, key equity and inclusion concepts. In fact, over the past five years we were able to almost double the number of females in the workforce, and we tripled the number of females in leadership positions.

Rigzone: Which skills will be most in demand over the next 5–10 years? How can candidates prepare?

Al-Hajji: The skills in highest demand over the next five to ten years will be a blend of foundational and emerging capabilities. We will continue to need our traditional offerings, as they remain foundational to many industries and provide essential knowledge and skills that underpin our operations. However, as the world evolves, there will also be growing demand for emerging majors, particularly in areas like data analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, and sustainability-related disciplines.

Candidates can best prepare by building a strong base through traditional fields of study, while also exploring interdisciplinary pathways and emerging areas that align with future trends. Emphasizing STEM education, digital literacy, and obtaining relevant professional certifications will further equip them to thrive in a rapidly changing job market.

At the same time, Aramco is investing heavily in building Saudi Arabia’s future talent pipeline. Our National Training Centers across the Kingdom educate and empower a highly trained, competitive workforce. These programs are jointly funded by government and industry, ensuring Saudi citizens are equipped for high-skilled jobs that will help future-proof the economy. For nearly a decade, we have collaborated with strategic partners to establish 16 National Training Centers in 10 cities across the Kingdom, covering 80 disciplines. To date, these centers have benefited over 60,000 individuals, and we aspire to reach 100,000 beneficiaries by 2030, aligning perfectly with the Kingdom’s goal to increase employment. We also sponsor thousands of Saudi students at top-tier universities worldwide, ensuring they return with the advanced STEM skills needed to contribute to a globally competitive workforce.

Rigzone: How is Aramco HR balancing traditional oil and gas roles with newer opportunities (renewables, hydrogen, AI)?

Al-Hajji: To balance traditional oil and gas roles with newer opportunities in renewables, hydrogen, and AI, Aramco HR is focusing on several key strategies. We’re upskilling and reskilling our existing workforce, recruiting new talent with expertise in emerging technologies, and redesigning traditional job roles to incorporate new skills and responsibilities.

We’re also committed to diversity and inclusion, recognizing that a diverse workforce is essential for driving innovation and success. Through strategic partnerships with external organizations, startups, and academia, we’re staying at the forefront of emerging technologies and identifying new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

As part of my role, I lead and support these efforts, by working closely with the business to identify talent gaps, develop strategic workforce plans, and implement initiatives that drive business outcomes and support the company’s overall strategy. By taking a proactive and strategic approach to workforce development, we’re positioning Aramco for long-term success in a rapidly changing energy landscape.

Rigzone: How will automation and AI change jobs at Aramco?

Al-Hajji: Technology is deeply embedded in everything we do at Aramco. We have deployed advanced technologies supported by world-class computing power, demonstrating our commitment to pushing boundaries. Our innovative culture is reflected in nearly 1,000 patents granted, standing tall among our peers. AI is an enabler, not a replacement. It allows people to work smarter and make better decisions. Expect to see more data-driven roles – in predictive maintenance, analytics, and digital twins – and more training for engineers and operators to use advanced tools effectively. The result is not fewer opportunities, but new types of opportunities that combine human expertise with digital capability.

Whether it is for preventative maintenance, enhancing safety, optimizing our operations, or more, there is a huge future for digitalization and AI at Aramco. While we are already an industry leader in digital maturity, we have taken bold moves to accelerate and intensify our work to move to the next level, particularly with generative AI.

Al-Hajji was appointed Aramco Senior Vice President of Human Resources in 2023. Prior to this, he served as Vice President of Human Resources, from April 2022 to November 2023, and Executive Head of Human Resources from Aug 2021 to March 2022. Al-Hajji’s Aramco career began in 1998 as an engineer in the Ghawar field. 

In his role as SVP of HR, Al-Hajji is responsible for providing strategic leadership and operational management of all HR functions at Saudi Aramco. In addition to overseeing the day to day HR operations for over 75,000 employees from over 90 nationalities, he is responsible for programs that serve more than 410,000 dependents and retirees of Saudi Aramco and provide support and oversight to Saudi contractors and affiliates.

To contact the author, email andreas.exarheas@rigzone.com