Information Communications Technician
Supporting users, devices, systems and digital communications.
Explore pathway →Programme concept for Saudi Arabia
Digital capability built through work, not theory alone.
Crown Venture Company is developing structured digital training and employment pathways for Saudi nationals and eligible residents, informed by UK apprenticeship standards and designed around real employer needs.
Current status: programme design and partnership development
Proposed framework
01
TrainBlended technical learning
02
ApplySupervised workplace experience
03
AssessIndependent assessment, subject to approval
04
ProgressEmployment and professional development
Employer-ledSkills linked to live roles
Work-basedLearning applied on the job
Quality-assuredClear readiness and assessment controls
Saudi-focusedDesigned for local workforce priorities
Our vision
Global digital standards. Local opportunity.
To help young Saudi nationals and eligible residents gain credible digital capability while contributing to an employer from the start.
Our proposed approach supports the direction of Saudi Vision 2030 and its Human Capability Development Program: building knowledge, skills and values that help citizens compete globally. We want to connect structured learning, productive work and long-term careers rather than treat training and employment as separate activities.
Read about the Human Capability Development Program ↗Illustrative digital pathways
Skills employers can use.
Initial pathways will be selected with employers and partners. The following areas reflect current digital apprenticeship occupations listed by BCS and Skills England.
Network Engineer
Designing, installing, maintaining and securing network services.
Explore pathway →Cyber Security Technologist
Protecting systems through analysis, controls and incident response.
Explore pathway →Data Analyst
Preparing, analysing and communicating data to support decisions.
Explore pathway →Software Developer
Designing, building, testing and improving digital products.
Explore pathway →Business Analyst
Understanding needs, improving processes and supporting change.
Explore pathway →Multi-channel Marketer
Planning content, campaigns and customer engagement across channels.
Explore pathway →Programme names, levels, eligibility and assessment arrangements will be confirmed before enrolment. A UK apprenticeship standard is a reference framework; it is not automatically an approved Saudi qualification.
Three proposed delivery models
Different routes. One quality framework.
The final commercial and regulatory structure will be agreed with the relevant Saudi authorities, employers and assessment or awarding partners.
01Public-sector partnership
Strategic skills pilot
A government or public-sector partner helps define priority occupations, target groups and national outcomes. Crown Venture Company coordinates programme design with licensed training, assessment and employer partners.
- Evidence-based workforce priorities
- Joint governance and defined responsibilities
- Employer consortium and workplace opportunities
- Transparent performance and progression reporting
02Employer partnership
Employer-sponsored skills pathway
An employer commissions structured development for new or existing employees, aligned to defined job responsibilities and an agreed occupational standard.
- Role-to-standard and skills-gap analysis
- Protected learning linked to operational work
- Named workplace mentor and progress reviews
- Assessment readiness and skills-impact reporting
03Candidate development and employment
Transparent candidate pathway
Candidates may fund clearly priced training and career preparation. Any subsequent Crown Venture Company employment and host placement would operate under separate, compliant contracts and only where the required licences are in place.
- No fee charged for securing employment
- Employee wages paid in full under the employment contract
- Host service charges kept separate from wages
- Documented supervision, experience and progression
Commercial safeguard: training charges, employee wages and employer service fees would be documented separately. Employment, placement, training, recruitment or workforce-supply activity will proceed only under the licences, contracts, wage-protection arrangements and Saudi requirements that apply. No public funding or incentive is assumed.
Proposed learner journey
From selection to occupational competence.
BCS describes a UK IT apprenticeship as a paid job combining hands-on work with structured off-the-job training, followed by independent end-point assessment. Crown Venture Company is exploring how an approved Saudi programme could use comparable principles.
- 1
Select
Confirm eligibility, motivation, starting capability and occupational pathway.
- 2
Employ and place
Agree the employment, host placement, supervision and workplace responsibilities.
- 3
Train and apply
Combine live teaching, guided online study, practical labs, mentoring and workplace projects.
- 4
Review readiness
Track knowledge, skills and behaviours and confirm evidence before assessment.
- 5
Assess and progress
Arrange independent assessment and recognition where formally agreed, then support direct employment or onward progression.
Outcomes and accountability
Measured by capability, progression and value.
Each pilot would begin with agreed baselines, targets and reporting intervals. Results would be shared transparently with programme partners.
Occupational competence
Achievement against the approved knowledge, skills and behaviour requirements, including first-attempt assessment outcomes.
Programme completion
Participation, continuation and successful completion across each employer, pathway and learner cohort.
Employment continuity
Retention in meaningful work at agreed milestones following placement or programme completion.
Career progression
Direct employment, promotion, expanded responsibility or movement into a relevant digital role.
Employer value
Supervisor feedback, demonstrated workplace contribution and improvement in priority organisational capabilities.
Learner development
Growth in confidence, independence, professional behaviours and readiness for continued learning.
No performance results are presented at concept stage. Measures and targets will be confirmed for each formally agreed pilot.
Reference framework
Informed by established UK practice.
BCS is the Chartered Institute for IT and provides apprenticeship assessment across a range of digital standards in England. Skills England publishes occupational standards and assessment plans. Crown Venture Company intends to use these sources to shape programme quality while pursuing the approvals needed for delivery and recognition in Saudi Arabia.
Programme clarity
Important questions, answered directly.
These answers distinguish the proposed Saudi model from formally approved UK apprenticeships and qualifications.
Is Crown Venture Company currently offering an approved BCS qualification in Saudi Arabia?
No. Any BCS involvement, qualification, assessment or certification would require a formal agreement and all applicable Saudi approvals before enrolment or delivery.
Is Crown Venture Company currently authorised to deliver these programmes directly?
The company is currently developing the programme and its partnerships. Direct delivery will begin only after the relevant commercial activities, training licences, programme approvals and any other applicable Saudi authorisations are in place. Until then, any development work will be undertaken at concept stage or with appropriately licensed partners.
Is the proposed programme the same as an apprenticeship in England?
No. UK apprenticeship standards provide an established occupational reference. The Saudi programme structure, legal status, duration, recognition and employment arrangements would be agreed locally.
How would programme quality be controlled?
The proposed framework includes employer role-mapping, initial assessment, planned learning, workplace evidence, progress reviews, readiness checks and independent assessment where formally approved.
What would participating employers provide?
Employers would provide a relevant role or placement, suitable supervision, meaningful work, access to evidence and regular feedback on learner performance and organisational value.
Our leadership
Experience across education, technology and enterprise.
Crown Venture Company is led by three founding partners who combine apprenticeship, quality assurance, business and technical experience.
CEO's mission
“My ambition is to help Saudi Arabia’s next generation develop the skills, confidence and character to build successful careers and contribute meaningfully to the Kingdom. Through Crown Venture Company, we will connect high-quality learning with real workplace opportunity, helping emerging talent become capable, adaptable and ready for the future. Our purpose goes beyond qualifications: we aim to develop people who can create value, lead responsibly and support Saudi Arabia’s continued progress.”
Chief Executive Officer & Founding Partner
Shahbaz Ahmed
Shahbaz is an accomplished apprenticeship and digital-skills leader with more than two decades of experience in technical education and workforce development. A Chartered IT Professional and Member of BCS, with an MSc in Information Security, he combines technical expertise with extensive leadership across programme delivery, curriculum development, assessment, independent end-point assessment and quality assurance.
He has worked with leading UK awarding and assessment organisations, including BCS, Pearson, NCFE and City & Guilds. His assessment and quality-assurance assignments have also involved personnel from the Royal College of Signals, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy and the Metropolitan Police’s forensic services, both in the United Kingdom and overseas. As CEO of Crown Venture Company, Shahbaz provides the strategic direction, sector credibility and commitment to quality required to build trusted, employer-aligned digital skills pathways for Saudi Arabia.
Director & Founding Partner
Syed Mazhar Ali
Mazhar brings nearly 25 years of management experience with Tesco, one of the United Kingdom’s largest retailers. His career has developed substantial expertise in operational leadership, workforce planning, team development, customer experience, commercial performance and the practical delivery of change within a fast-paced, highly accountable organisation.
At Crown Venture Company, Mazhar contributes experienced commercial and operational judgement to corporate governance, strategic planning, market engagement and partnership development. His understanding of service standards, customer behaviour and organisational performance helps ensure that the company’s programmes are credible, responsive to employer priorities and capable of being delivered effectively at scale.
Technology & Innovation Lead and Founding Partner
Ijaz Ahmed
Ijaz brings professional experience across artificial intelligence, digital infrastructure, computer networking and blockchain-based technologies, developed through roles with several organisations. His interests sit at the intersection of established IT systems and rapidly evolving digital capability.
At Crown Venture Company, he contributes to technology strategy, programme innovation and the responsible adoption of emerging technologies. His focus is on ensuring that digital learning remains practical, secure and relevant to the future needs of employers and the Saudi economy.
Partnership discussions
Help shape a Saudi digital apprenticeship pilot.
We welcome early discussions with government bodies, employers, education partners, awarding organisations and digital-sector stakeholders.
Crown Venture Company
Saudi Arabia
General enquiriesinfo@crownventureksa.com
CEO and strategic partnershipsshahbaz.ahmed@crownventureksa.com
Operationsmazhar.ali@crownventureksa.com
Technology and innovationijaz.ahmed@crownventureksa.com