RIYADH, 5 February 2006 — Pointing out that the Kingdom will have to face up to the challenges stemming from its accession to the World Trade Organization, Labor Minister Ghazi Al-Gosaibi said in a speech yesterday that Saudis will have to change their working style and be competitive in order to gain their foothold in the employment market.
State Minister Abdul Aziz Al-Khuwaiter read Al-Gosaibi’s speech in the minister’s absence.
The minister was inaugurating the 4th Human Resources Development Forum on the theme of “Investing in Future Generations” at the King Faisal Conference Hall here. The two-day forum, being organized by the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce & Industry (RCCI) in collaboration with the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) and the Saudi Management Association, will discuss, among other things, the challenges facing the Saudization program and the need for equipping Saudis for the requirements of the employment market.
The state minister referred to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Labor, which found that 155,000 Saudis were actively scouting for job opportunities.
“The ministry has drawn up a plan to train and employ them in the coming months. This is in addition to a national campaign for training young Saudis and encouraging citizens to work in the private sector,” said Gosaibi in his speech.
He called on the private sector to provide job opportunities to Saudis by putting them through on-the-job training schemes.
“We recognize the importance of partnership with the private sector in achieving the national goals. One of the primary objectives is human resources development,” Al-Gosaibi said.
This objective, Al-Gosaibi said, would not be pursued at the expense of qualified and skilled expatriates who have made a significant contribution to the Kingdom’s economy. At the same time, he noted that the recruitment of expatriates continues despite government efforts to promote job opportunities for Saudis.
“This situation is unacceptable, since the Saudi market should give first priority to Saudis,” said the minister in his speech.
The minister said Saudization should not be treated merely as an emotional issue. Rather, it should be approached in a cool-headed manner while remaining focused on the need for an urgent solution.
RCCI President Abdul Rahman Al-Jeraisy said that the chamber was contacting organizations in need of experienced hands.
“Our role is merely that of a connecting link between the organization and the applicant,” he said.
He added that the objective of the forum was to cooperate closely with the decision-makers, whether from the government or the private sector.
“The chamber is convinced that one of the priorities for employing the youth is how to upgrade their skills in order to qualify them for the employment market.
HRDF Director General Muhammad Al-Sahlawi said the fourth forum is taking place at a time when the economic scene is undergoing some major changes. He referred to this year’s budget which accords high priority to public, higher and vocational education with an outlay of SR87.3 billion.
Speaking to Arab News, Saeed A. Namsheh, manager of the job-training program at the King Khaled International Airport, said the main thrust of their training program was to improve the English language and technical skills of Saudi employees. The training course was for both lower-level and middle-level employees, including engineers. They were also organizing seminars and conferences for the senior staff.
A salient feature of the program, he pointed out, was the concept of empowerment to boost the productivity of an employee. This enabled him to discharge his duties independently without having to seek the permission of higher authorities at each stage, he added.
— Additional input by Raid Qusti
