Aspiring embroiderers have until November 1 to apply for the Traditional Embroidery Apprenticeship Program run by the Royal Institute of Traditional Arts (Wrth). Applications are submitted through the institute's website, and shortlisted candidates will sit interviews and practical admission tests between November 8 and 19, 2026.

Trainees learn by doing, guided by experienced artisans and specialists. The institute says the aim is to prepare a new generation of practitioners able to safeguard the craft and take it forward.

The apprenticeship lasts 18 months over three levels and begins on January 3, 2027, with classes held in person at Wrth's headquarters in Riyadh's Al-Futah district. The curriculum covers the history and basics of embroidery, how to choose materials, traditional stitches, sewing techniques and hand embroidery, so that graduates can design and develop embroidered products blending heritage with contemporary style.

Business skills are also part of the course: participants study productivity analysis and time management and learn to plan craft ventures, from feasibility studies through to pricing and marketing. The program is designed to equip them either to work in the field or to launch their own projects.

Wrth began its work in 2021 as a cultural institution dedicated to training Saudi talent interested in learning and practicing traditional arts, under a strategy focused on empowering, supporting and developing the crafts sector to preserve the national cultural heritage.