70% of Saudi high school students ‘must get technical training’

The majority of high school students should be sent to technical colleges rather than universities to prepare them for jobs needed by industry, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, according to a human resources expert.
Abdulaziz Al-Awwad, chairman of the private training centers’ committee and member of the human resources committee at the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said only 30 to 35 percent of high school students should be allowed to enroll at universities, like the norm globally. The rest, 65 to 70 percent, must go to technical colleges.
He cited an official from the Ministry of Higher Education stating that universities should be willing to admit 90 percent of high school graduates. He said this figure was too high and resulted in many young Saudi university graduates sitting at home without jobs.
He said small and medium-sized establishments in developed nations contribute 80 percent to their countries’ respective Gross Domestic Product (GDP), while their contribution in Saudi Arabia was less than 30 percent, “which is a great imbalance.”
“We must direct our youth to technical education, and encourage them to work alongside businessmen, by establishing facilities for these purposes,” said Al-Awwad during a meeting with journalists at the Al-Jazeera International Academy in Jeddah last week.
Al-Awwad said the Ministry of Labor has not been successful in tackling this “inherited problem” in the market for 30 years and businesspeople should be given the chance to find a solution over the next 10 years.
He said the Hafiz unemployment program was a “very good one” and called on the Labor Ministry to present regular reports on the number of youth trained over a defined period.
Al-Awwad said the role of the human resources committee at the Riyadh Chamber was limited to establishing dialogue with officials. He said the committee wants a greater part in decision-making.
He said the decision of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah to introduce a three-month grace period was a wise one.
However, the decision to impose an annual fee of SR 2,400 for each expatriate worker above Saudization quotas, has resulted in large-scale losses in the transport and contracting sectors, of an estimated $ 3 billion a year. Over 75 percent of contracting companies now face closure.
He said this would affect developmental plans in the Kingdom. He said plans must be prepared to develop a generation that loves technical work.
Al-Awwad said young Saudis are the victims of previous education programs and should be re-skilled by the state. He said the 1.6 million Saudis who registered for the Hafiz program need professional and technical training for jobs needed by the domestic market.
He said young people who need jobs should also use their own initiative and get education and training that will ensure they are hired by local businesses.
Al-Awwad said the campaign against iqama violators would help to rectify the imbalance in the labor market, improve the enterprises sector, and get rid of many illegal workers.
He said the Kingdom has about four million illegal workers, which is a drain on the economy. Expatriate workers transferred more than SR 130 billion last year to their countries, he said.
He said the Kingdom’s Nitaqat program would have several consequences including the closure of small and large establishments, which could see consumer prices rise. It could also have a negative effect on current projects, because of the high cost of existing labor.
On the positive side, it could see accommodation prices remain steady and alleviate pressure on services.