Kadhem Aljabr

Title

Senior L&D Officer

Organization

Institute of Public Administration

Location

Ad Dammām, Saudi Arabia

LinkedIn

linkedin.com/in/kadhem-aljabr

Education

Associate of science in accounting (Jubail Industrial College); bachelor of science in business administration (Jubail University College); master's degree in business administration (West Texas A&M University)

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Throughout a decade-long tenure with Saudi Arabia's Institute of Public Administration—a government agency that provides training and education for public service employees—Kadhem Aljabr has worn a lot of hats, from teaching high school graduates studying with the IPA to serving as head of HR to overseeing the teaching and training divisions. In his current role, Aljabr focuses on instructional design and evaluating learning impact.

What are the biggest learning-related challenges in your current role?

As a training and consultation department manager, my role is a link between senior management and the rest of the employees, both of whom are main stakeholders. Each side has different requirements and needs that they wish to achieve, and it is challenging to make the right decision while keeping everybody satisfied. I overcome the obstacles by seeking balance in my decisions as well as using problem-solving and negotiating techniques.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years, and what is your ultimate career goal?

Most of my experience is related to the training operations (in other words, the planning and execution of training programs). In the next five years, I envision myself working on instructional design and evaluating learning impact. Additionally, I am certified as an Associate Professional in Talent Development, and I plan to obtain a Certified Professional in Talent Development designation in the next six months.

One of my plans is to improve my leadership and interpersonal skills in preparation for a senior-level role. My long-term goal is to participate in shaping the future of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

How and why did you get involved with Saudi Youth for Sustainability?

Most people, including myself, always relate sustainability to the environment. Recently, I realized that sustainability is also tied to social and economic factors. People like me, who work in L&D, can also engage and contribute to those efforts. From that perspective, the advertisement for the inaugural Conference of Saudi Youth for Sustainability made a profound impression on me. I took the opportunity to register as a change-maker member.

What career advice do you have for up-and-coming L&D professionals?

Since most L&D professionals focus on dealing with people, human interaction is essential to such L&D jobs. I advise new L&D professionals to focus on building their core competencies—in other words, their skills, knowledge, and all-around abilities—which include effective communication, relationship building, collaboration, teamwork, and facilitation skills.