JEDDAH, 26 November 2006 — The General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT) has launched a new training center for Saudis.
GOTEVOT has been entrusted with the responsibility of realizing the goal of Saudization, according to Dr. Nadia Baeshen, the organization’s consultant for girls’ technical training.
Talking to Arab News before the official launch of the development and training center in Jeddah yesterday, Baeshen explained that there had been complaints from the private sector that Saudization was hampered because Saudis were not well trained and qualified to meet and satisfy the needs of the market. “In order to meet the Saudization goal, GOTEVOT intends to upgrade the skills and enhance the qualifications of its own staff,” she said.
Dr. Ibrahim M. Al-Shafi, general manager, GOTEVOT, said: “GOTEVOT intends to play a leading role in preparing young Saudis to shoulder various responsibilities in the country’s march toward diversification, meeting market needs and demands. To achieve that, the new center has been established. It will equip the Saudi work force to face challenges and obstacles.”
The center has the benefit of experts from South Korea, the Philippines, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The organization has been allotted a budget of SR6 billion for the fiscal year besides its usual budget.
“GOTEVOT will bridge the gap between the private sector’s complaints and needs and requirements of the market,” Baeshen said.
She added that technical colleges for both men and women were being established and for the first time such courses as computers, fashion designing, physiotherapy, nutrition, photography, food technology, maintenance technology (electricians, carpenters and plumbers) and jewelry designing have been introduced.
“A wide range of opportunities have been opened up for women,” Baeshen said.
She said that a lot of work, research and evaluation had gone in planning, developing the curriculum and system for the new colleges and in shouldering the Saudization responsibility.
According to Baeshen, by the end of the Eighth Development Plan, 34 technical colleges for women will open in Qasim, Hail, Najran, Jizan and Tabuk. “The objective is balanced development of the country,” she said.
She said that by the end of the plan period, 30,000 women and 50,000 men “will be put in the market.”
The training in each area will be geared to meet the specific needs of that particular area. With young Saudis finding jobs and enjoying facilities and services in their own areas, the problem of urban migration will be solved. Enrollment will begin in March.
The process to train the faculty is going on under the train-the-trainer program. Later, a 100 percent Saudi staff will train Saudis. Some of the countries being approached for assistance are Germany, Australia, Japan, Jordan and Morocco.
