RIYADH, 31 December — The Kingdom, with over 600,000 unemployed citizens presently scouting for suitable placements, is targeting 25 percent Saudization in the private sector next year. The move is in line with a government policy, which calls for increasing Saudi manpower in the private sector by five percent annually, according to Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Ali Al-Namla here yesterday.
The minister was speaking at the inaugural session of a major seminar on employment and Saudization, sponsored by the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The two-day event is expected to give fresh impetus to Saudization efforts and to cut reliance on foreign workers, whose number currently exceeds seven million.
More than 100,000 young Saudis enter the job market annually.
Al-Namla said that the chamber is working closely with the government agencies of the Kingdom to provide suitable employment to the nationals. This is in line with the goal defined by the current Five-Year Development Plan (200-2005) that seeks to provide 817,000 jobs for Saudis by creating new opportunities or by replacing expatriates with citizens.
Stressing the urgent need to promote Saudization in the private sector, Al-Namla said his ministry had undertaken a project to compile a database to keep track of employees in the private sector. The project will eventually help to Saudize positions in a large number of private companies, which have been reluctant to hire Saudi manpower on one pretext or other.
The minister honored 12 private companies for their efforts to promote the Saudization program.
Referring to the agenda of the seminar, RCCI Chairman Abdulrahman Al-Jeraisy said the seminar would discuss new ideas, plans and projects to meet the Saudization target. It will conclude today with recommendations to promote the Saudization program.
A group of 23 leading Saudi companies is holding a workshop on the sidelines of the seminar to brief young Saudis about career opportunities and the job skills required by the private sector.
