RIYADH, 22 August — The Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry will introduce this year a new diploma course to prepare Saudis for jobs in the field of gold and jewelry sales as well as hone their managerial skills in the business.
This was disclosed to Arab News by Hamad Al-Humaidan, deputy secretary-general of RCCI, who said the four-month course will comprise training in computer operation and management skills, the technical aspects of the gold and jewelry business and the English language.
The setting up of the training program is in line with a circular issued by Minister of Interior Prince Naif to all provincial governors, ministers of commerce, industry, labor and the governor of the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training stressing the need to replace expatriates with Saudi manpower in the gold and jewelry sector.
Asked about the training programs already conducted or due to be held for Saudis aspiring for a career in this field, Humaidan said 16 trainees attended a short-term course on the selling of gold and jewelry in June this year.
“In mid-September, we shall be setting up another training program for this type of business with its focus on quality control, technical and legal aspects and marketing skills,” the deputy secretary-general said.
The launch of the diploma course and other training programs by RCCI comes against the background of the closure of 150 gold showrooms in Riyadh following the implementation of the decision on Saudization of all workers in the gold market.
The closed showrooms are said to represent about 15 percent of the 1,000 gold and jewelry showrooms in the capital.
Of these, 60 shops were located in the Salloum, Manfouha and Naseem areas.
There are 5,000 gold and jewelry shops in the Kingdom employing 20,000 workers, the majority of whom are expatriates. The Kingdom is the largest gold consumer in the Middle East, with annual gold sales estimated at 174 tons, or a per head monthly average of 15 grams.
The annual spending works out to SR5,250 ($1,400) per head, according to the World Gold Council. Sixty percent of the total demand estimated at around SR11 billion is satisfied locally.
