RIYADH, 28 June 2003 — The Saudi Telecom Company (STC) is starting a summer training program today for 560 students as part of the company’s policy to provide training for students.
Students will be given the opportunity to gain experience in the telecommunications field. Khaled Al-Suhaim, general manager of employment at STC, said that — in cooperation with the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs represented by the Labor Affairs Agency — STC provided two months of training for some 470 students at its head office and branches elsewhere.
The remaining students will train in colleges. Students working in colleges will undergo a training period of seven months. This so-called Training Cooperation Program will earn them a certificate saying they have gained first-hand experience in their field of study which, he said, would give graduates a clear advantage in the labor market.
Suhaim said STC was keen to work with the private sector in employing students over the summer to help them make use of their free time. He said that students on the summer training programs would be trained by highly qualified management personnel. They will receive a monthly grant of SR1,500, while students on the Training Cooperation Program at universities will receive a monthly grant of SR3,000, he added.
Summer training has helped countless youths look to the future in a more optimistic way. While some may still view the summer months as an excuse for sleeping late and loitering in public parks or malls, others are increasingly using the break to hone their skills by joining summer programs.
