It was a historic moment that will forever remain in the memories of those fortunate enough to have seen it live on television. Not only did Nancy Pelosi become the first female speaker of the US House of Representatives in the US Congress but she also positioned herself by telling all that under her leadership, Capitol Hill will function under a new set of rules based on a spirit of partnership and sealed by honest and ethical behavior as a new America sets out to shape itself for the future.
Nothing could have cemented Pelosi’s message better than the scene showing her being sworn in, surrounded by the children and grandchildren of House Members — America’s future beneficiaries — who, in their innocence, beauty and youth represented the bright future filled with hope and glory that all are hoping for. Embedded in this image was a powerful statement that most of us in positions of power have chosen to ignore: That the future which we are in the process of creating is not ours for the keeping; ultimately, whatever actions we undertake today, their heaviest toll will be felt by the innocent lives of children of today, who resemble the little girls and boys — and baby, that surrounded Pelosi during that very significant moment in American history.
A true warning to all those who dared to think otherwise. It was a brilliant move, a symbolic image, and a powerful warning. As I watched, I could not help but drift off to the situation of our youth here at home. Reminding the Congress that the future belongs to little kids who were 1, 8, and 10 year olds, can in no way compare to the clear and present danger facing our young 25, 30 and 35 year olds as they continue to be marginalized from taking-on their rightful role as architects of their own future.
The clear and present danger facing Saudi Arabia has several angles to it. First, we have a fast growing young population that is already estimated at nearly 3/4 of our national population, hence a majority. Second, the rising unemployment rate resulting from an obsolete educational system adds to the above dilemma; and third, according to World Bank reports, the biggest challenge facing the Middle East and North Africa region is being able to create 100 million jobs to accommodate the fasted growing young generation of the world, by the year 2015 — eight years from now. I dread to think what percentage of that number is estimated for Saudi Arabia alone.
We incessantly talk of unemployment, educational reform and Saudization plans, but we forget that these issues have been on the table for the last 20 years and instead of coming up with a SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-related) plan of action; we successfully fall back into the trap of analysis paralysis time and again.
What we need now is to go beyond talk and consultation. We need immediate action that guarantees the systematic integration of our youth into various sectors of our economy — and within the next 3 years. Our mission must focus on building the second and third generation of young leaders today, who will in turn build future generations once they are confident enough to do so.
I propose an intensive form of internship starting with our 23 ministries as well as our Shoura Council. Both these entities have officials who have a lifetime’s worth of experience in public service and who are most qualified to take on the mentoring and training of the younger generation in time before their retirement. By aligning the old with the young, we will be passing on the wisdom and experience of those in leadership positions to the fresh outlook of the young who will eventually inherit them.
The process I am recommending is called “Job Shadowing” which is common practice in most Western countries. It is a practical method that would expose our young leaders to real-life work situations by the act of “shadowing” (following politicians around) the day to day operational activities of these qualified veteran politicians. This process does not need to be restricted to interns shadowing ministers, but can cascade down to interns shadowing executives as well as administrators, or any position that needs to be passed on to younger more innovative blood.
By increasing the number of interns shadowing a position, we will have enabled a larger segment of our youth to have access to an even larger segment of job positions. This valuable exposure will provide the interns with practical rules and tools that no book, classroom, or educational institution can — or could — provide.
A similar process can be emulated by the Shoura Council wherein members of the council will in turn coach potential young leaders to take on their place once their four-year term expires. As we plan for the future, we must always keep in mind that Saudi Arabia is one of the youngest nations in the region and it will keep on getting younger as its youth enter the marrying age. Our responsibility as a nation is first and foremost to the systematic training and development, as well as the empowerment of our youth who will — whether we want to or not — be the leaders of tomorrow reaping the rewards of any legacy we plant today.
Only by applying this top down approach of integrating potential young leaders into the operating system of our nation, can we guarantee that our rising young population gets a fair chance at having their say in the order of things to come.
