JEDDAH: The Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF), in its annual report tabled recently at the Shoura Council, has taken serious note of less jobs available for women and handicapped citizens.
The challenges include lack of transport, companies having inadequate facilities, and Saudis preferring government jobs.
In addition, many citizens do not have the skills to apply for jobs, such as writing a resume, or do not have qualifications for certain positions, according to a local media report recently.
The HRDF has suggested that measures must be introduced to create jobs for women and people with disabilities in rural areas, including working from home. There also has to be statistics compiled on how much expatriates earn in relation to Saudis.
Shoura member Prince Khalid Al-Saud said the Taqat program has only matched 4 percent of applicants with jobs suitable for them. The HRDF’s ability to reduce unemployment must be reviewed, he said.
He said 81,000 young men and 700,000 women applied, with 25 percent of men found jobs, while less than 2 percent of women were employed. In addition, more people received support under the Hafiz program than those who found employment. He said this raised serious questions about the training provided for applicants, and whether this matched the needs of the labor market. The HRDF had spent more than SR5 billion on training 250,000 people, he said.
Mohammad Al-Raheili said he was concerned about the delays in providing awards for teachers at private schools. This was resulting in more resignations and teachers seeking better prospects in the public sector. Member Abdullah Al-Jighman said the fund should have produced a report about job turnover, particularly since 33 percent of those who received training left the private sector to find jobs in the government sector.
HRDF report: Few jobs for women, disabled
HRDF report: Few jobs for women, disabled
