JEDDAH, 30 March 2005 — “Who would give his daughter to a tradesman?” This was the question posed by a young Saudi explaining why he turned down a job as a butcher, according to Al-Madinah newspaper.
He doesn’t hold a professional degree; in fact, he has an elementary school education. He’s been unemployed for three years. But the young man doesn’t have the courage to work in the handicraft jobs to support himself and his family for fear of the social stigma. So he chooses poverty and joblessness over embarrassment.
He is one of many unemployed young Saudis who want to move forward but are rejecting work due to family pressure about social embarrassment, says the paper. Meanwhile, more than 1,800 jobs for Saudi tradesmen — many offering free training and living expenses -remain vacant. Al-Madinah met some young Saudis who find themselves between pride and a hard place.
One man with only a primary school education said he’s been forbidden by his family to take work as a tradesman.
“I wish that I could work in any job to support myself instead of borrowing money from them,” said Mohammed Al-Harbi, a 19-year-old Saudi who’s been unemployed for four years. “There is nothing wrong with working in any job as long as I am making honest money. The real shame lies in remaining unemployed when I have the ability to work.”
It may not even be a young man’s own parents, but other parents who wouldn’t consider tradesmen appropriate husbands for their daughters. “I wouldn’t feel shame of working in such jobs, but it’s like the community would be embarrassed for me if I accepted the job, especially when it comes to marriage,” said Salem Al-Bakri. “Some parents reject giving their daughters to a craftsman because it doesn’t pay enough money.”
Obviously Saudization is difficult without Saudis to Saudize.
“There are more than 300 vacant jobs currently offering good salaries and training without requirements,” said Abdul Aziz Al-Harthi, manager of an employment agency. “It only requires waking up at six in the morning and working for 8 hours. We’ve been advertising these jobs in many newspapers, but no applicants are coming forward.”
Real estate development companies are seeking as many as 1,500 workers in the construction and architectural fields.
“We have negotiated a contract with a large company to train architecture graduates. They’re paid transportation and residence fees and later get jobs after they become qualified to work in the labor market,” said Mesfer Al-Badran, manager of the Vocational Training Center in Jeddah. “On the other hand, though there are many vacant jobs, the number of applicants is small. Not more than 30 graduate a year because our society still doesn’t welcome these building trades jobs.”
Of course, there are factors other than social stigma. “I’m afraid of heights,” said Nasser Al-Shemrani, who has rejected working in high-rise construction.
Regardless of whether it’s pride and a hard place — or a high place — thousands of jobs remain vacant, and thousands of young Saudis remain unemployed.
