The owner of a leading security firm in Jeddah, who did not want his name published, stressed the need for compulsory periodic training for security guards.

“I insist on training because 90 percent of the security guards in the city are not qualified,” he said.

Ibrahim, 23, is dropout of a secondary school because of poor performance, and the only work he could undertake without any qualification or training was that of a security guard.

It was one of his friends who introduced Ibrahim to a private security firm in Jeddah.

“After 10 minutes of greeting and chatting, my boss threw at me a blue uniform and asked me to report to duty at a supermarket after the sunset prayer,” said Ibrahim. “Anyway, it is better to be a security guard than sitting idle,” he said.

Security guards working in establishments such as hospitals, commercial complexes and amusement parks need special training because they deal with a huge number of customers every day, said the owner of the security firm.

Another proposal he made was that general commercial establishments should not be allowed to recruit directly their own security guards as some establishments practice currently. He said only companies specialized in security sector should be allowed to recruit and supply guards because authorities can order such companies to train the guards after the recruitment.

Chairman of the Committee for Security Guards and Safety in the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry Abdul Hadi Al-Qahtani said security guards were not trained because the government does not issue licenses to private organizations to provide training to those who work in the sector.

“We have been trying to get a license for many years for security training in the private sector. But we did not get it so far,” he said, adding that the sector has the potential to provide employment for 50,000 Saudis.

Security guard is one of the few job categories that demand 100 percent Saudization, meaning foreigners are barred from legal employment in this form of work.