JEDDAH, 3 October 2004 — Labor Minister Dr. Ghazi Al-Gosaibi has underlined the government’s strategic plan to train Saudis for important jobs in oil and gas industries. He also talked about moves to create job opportunities for Saudi women in new areas.
“Saudi Arabia has gained immense experience in oil, gas and petrochemical industries and this could be utilized in training skilled national cadre and employing them in this sector,” Al-Gosaibi told Asharq Al-Awsat, a sister publication of Arab News.
He said his ministry would work in coordination with the ministries of petroleum and mineral resources and higher education as well as other agencies to help young Saudis find attractive jobs in new gas projects to be implemented by international oil giants.
Al-Gosaibi said efforts were under way to open women’s sections at all government departments following a Cabinet decision in this respect. The Cabinet has also instructed the Manpower Development Fund to provide training and employment to women, he added.
“There is no problem in establishing women’s sections at all departments that serve women. In fact, opening such sections are a must under the recent Cabinet decision,” Al-Gosaibi said when asked whether women could be trained to take up technical jobs at girls schools and female housing units.
He said the Saudi Credit Bank, which is to receive SR3 billion from this year’s budget surplus, would provide soft loans to graduates of technical and vocational training colleges to set up small-scale projects.
Al-Gosaibi said his ministry had taken the initiative to solve the problem of 1,500 graduates holding diploma in English language from a Saudi university. “We have tried to find jobs for them at customs clearance offices to work as translators,” he said.
As for their demand to get jobs as English teachers at primary schools, Al-Gosaibi said: “For that they are required to have special training as per specifications set by the Education Ministry.”
