JEDDAH, 11 July 2007 — Makkah Gov. Prince Khaled Al-Faisal yesterday presided over a function to lay the foundation stone of an institute for young Saudis to be trained in technologies related to electronics and home appliances. “Saudi Electronics and Home Appliances Institute (SEHAI) is an impressive project that is aimed at training Saudis and providing them with employment, which also serves the cause of Saudization,” the prince said.
The governor was received by Ali Al-Ghafees, governor of the General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT), Muhammad Abdul Latif Jameel, president of Abdul Latif Jameel (ALJ) for Electronics, and Salim Al-Asmarei, who heads the team that is in charge of the establishment of the new institute. Construction of the SEHAI project will start at the end of July at its 33,000 square meters complex at Dahban in north Jeddah and will be completed within 20 months, said Al-Asmarei, who also heads two other institutes — the Saudi Japanese Automobile High Institute and the Saudi Institute for Health Services.
“SEHAI will enroll 150 students, all high school graduates, for a two-year diploma course in its first phase. Its capacity will be subsequently expanded to 500,” he added. The training program at SEHAI will cover all areas of the electronics and home appliances industry. The students will be paid a stipend of SR1,200 per month and successful graduates will be offered employment in the Kingdom’s sprawling electronics and home appliances business.
The institute will be equipped with the latest technology of international specifications with advanced teaching techniques required for maintenance or repair of electronics and home appliances. Al-Ghafees said the institute was being established with a view to create a Saudi work force in the technical field. “This is also part of the Kingdom’s Saudization program,” he said, adding that the government had offered SR10 billion to provide technical training to Saudis.
“GOTEVOT on its part has established or expanded 250 projects that include technical colleges, higher technical institutes for girls, and professional training institutes in cities and governorates across the Kingdom. GOTEVOT is also striving to enter into strategic partnerships with international training establishments and also with the national private sector in running various technical colleges and institutes,” he said.
He also sought the cooperation of the private sector, especially companies involved in home appliances and electronics, to sign a program of action with GOTEVOT in establishing and running the new institute, to make it world class and employ its graduates.
Saad Alghamdi, first vice president at ALJ, said the new institute would aim to enroll secondary school graduates and develop their skills and job commitment as technicians for the maintenance of electronics and home appliances including air conditioners and computers. “The institute will be of international standard and staffed with experts and highly qualified faculty members,” Alghamdi added.
