RIYADH, 30 November 2006 — Abdul Latif Jameel Company (ALJ) signed an agreement with the British Council yesterday for teaching English to its employees. The agreement was signed by Saleh Al-Jasser for ALJ and Jim Scarth, director of British Council.
“This is a new project in which we will update our staff with English language skills, Al- Jasser told Arab News. He added that the language course will be extended to other staff of the various branches of the ALJ to improve their language. He pointed out that the first beneficiaries of the project will be the company’s sales staff who meet the members of the public regularly and it will be extended to other departments over time.
He said that a large number of Saudi students who have passed out as graduates following a course in auto-engineering under Saudi-Japan Technical Cooperation, is being absorbed into the service sector. “ This will eventually help us reach the Saudization target in this sector too,” Al-Jasser added. On an initiative made by ALJ, he said a course on body painting of automobiles will be started at one of the technical colleges in the Kingdom.
“We are happy that the British Council has been given an opportunity to participate in the Saudization program of the country by partnering with ALJ in helping its staff to improve their language skills,” Scarth said, pointing out that the syllabus for the course is being formed under the Common European Framework, which would help the learners to carry out their work with confidence in communicating in English.