RIYADH, 2 May 2006 — Saudi women gathered at the Training and Development Program 2006 that began yesterday at King Faisal Hall here. Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi will formally launch the three-day event today.
“More than 40 percent of the 300 participants who have come for training in various disciplines were Saudi women working in public and private sectors,” Abdullah Al-Shidadi, president of the Saudi Management Society, the event manager of the program, told Arab News. A total of six sessions were held in three separate workshops.
“Most of the women participants are decision makers. We have a separate team of women trainers and moderators participating in the discussions,” Al-Shidadi noted, adding that there are 15 women academics and trainers to address issues related to women’s work in management sectors.
Princess Lolowah Al-Faisal, deputy director of the board of directors and general supervisor of Effat College, is to speak on the role of the women’s college in supporting the participation of Saudi women in the workplace.
Shidadi lamented that there was a poor response from the Saudi students despite an offer made to them to attend these workshops free of charge.
“High school seniors, both boys and girls, were admitted free of charge to the workshop,” he said, but pointed out that this segment of the Saudi youths failed to take the opportunity. “Around 20 students have come for Monday’s sessions, which is not an encouraging number,” said Al-Shidadi.
The government has allocated $87 billion for the next five years and $42 billion for the ensuing year to develop human resources.
Fawaz Al-Alami, chief technical affairs negotiator to the Kingdom’s World Trade Organization team, will present a study on human resources needs in light of the Kingdom’s entry into the WTO.
Explaining the importance of Al-Alami’s speech, Al-Shidadi said the adoption of latest technologies, learning and training for productivity and competitiveness in the new “knowledge society” and global economy are key requirements for Saudi policy makers.
Mohamed ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Taweel will present a paper on the obstacles facing the National Training Center, while Kareem Sabbagh, vice president of Booz Allen Hamilton will speak on the current status of information and communication technologies in the Arab world.
A panel of 50 speakers is itemized on the agenda to address the delegates. “Equipping over 25,000 Saudi schools, 50 technical colleges, 108 new training institutes with the latest technologies, and accelerating the adoption and use of these technologies are key objectives of the Eighth Development Plan.”
Speakers from the relevant fields will enlighten the audience on these current subjects, he added.
