DHAHRAN, 6 June 2004 — When Fadi S. Al-Najjar completed his studies in administration, he never imagined he’d be hoisting heavy loads from the cab of a 50-ton rough-terrain crane, but those are the skills he’s been honing for the past few months. Al-Najjar of Jeddah, and Sultan Al-Harbi of Alkhobar are two members of Saudi Aramco’s Apprentice Program. They are preparing for a career as they learn how to handle the massive cranes.

“Saleh A. Al-Ghamdi, supervisor of the Driver, Heavy Equipment Operator Training Unit, said, “The old cranes had only three or four levers and anyone could operate them. Nowadays cranes are more sophisticated. They’re computerized, and they tell you the weight of the load and the angle of the boom. If you get too close to something, it warns you and sometimes it stops you. So you have to learn how to use the computers which makes the right calculations.” Al-Harbi commented, “When we saw the crane the first time, we thought it would be difficult but after we practiced, we found it was very easy.”

The two-year apprentice program is open to those who have completed 12 or more years of school and have certificates of completion from accredited schools, having followed the science curriculum in either a normal high-school or a vocational one. The first year of the program is the same for all with classes that develop skills required in Saudi Aramco and also in the modern world of business and industry. The apprentices are not Saudi Aramco employees, but they receive monthly stipends to ensure that they will have the time needed to study. The young crane operators are in the second year of the program.“New apprentices go to the Academic Center at the Industrial Training Center (ITC) to study math and English,” Al-Ghamdi explained. “Then they come here for half a day to do a job skills crane operator course. The other half of the day they study math and English at the Industrial Training Center.” Building English skills is an important part of the program as many technical manuals and papers on oil-related activities appear in that language.

“Ahmed Al-Zahrani, a young married student from Jeddah, said, “I’ve learned a lot about grammar and vocabulary at Saudi Aramco’s ITC - more than I learned in high school or at the college of technology.”

Ahmed Al-Katheary, an student of air-conditioning said, “The classes here are much more difficult than anything I had before. My English has improved. We also have the Speak-Up Club, where we practice speaking to one another. It gives us a chance to build confidence with the language.”

There are also recreational activities in which the apprentices can participate. It’s also a time to learn how to think for yourself. “I try to face the problems I encounter and solve them alone,” Al-Najjar explained. “If I can’t solve them, I’ll share them with a friend, but I’ll make the final decision.”

Although students come from all over the Kingdom, they all get regular trips back home. “Last weekend, I went to Jeddah,” Al-Najjar said. “I do that every month or two. It gives me a lot of support when I see my family. They encourage me in my studies.” Parents are proud of their young men who are charting their courses to success. “My family is very happy that I’m here,” Al-Najjar said. “Almost every day they call me and encourage me to study hard and be successful.” Neither Al-Najjar nor Al-Harbi had any plan to operate cranes, but it’s an idea that has grown on them. “These cranes are stylish,” Al-Najjar said, laughing.

“The older ones are much more difficult to operate than the new ones,” Al-Harbi said. “If you can learn how to operate old ones, you can operate the new ones.”

The program is a magnet for motivated young Saudis and career plans that include more self-development and more study are not uncommon. “Here I am an operator,” Al-Najjar said. “After I finish the program, I hope to go to university. I’d like to study engineering. I think that would benefit my work.” Saudi Aramco is committed to helping workers improve their skills throughout their careers, but for these young workers the benefits are already apparent. “It’s a good program, and it can change your life completely,” Al-Najjar said. “You’ll feel different, and you’ll feel good about yourself. You’ll learn how to deal with other people - anyone. It’s a great chance to improve your mind.”

And parents can take pride in their young men who are charting their own courses to success. “My family is very happy that I’m here,” Al-Najjar said. “Almost every day they call me and encourage me to study hard and be successful. They say everything can be good for me.”