JEDDAH, 25 May 2007 — The ongoing Saudization program has received a big boost with business leaders showing tremendous interest in establishing training centers. “This is a good move and the rapidity in which our boys and girls are graduating from such academies augurs well for realizing our Saudization goals,” Ahmed ibn Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil, deputy labor minister, said yesterday.
“In fact, we need more training centers to meet the growing needs of the private sector and also to find jobs for our boys and girls befitting their qualifications and training,” the minister said at the graduation ceremony of the Balubaid Automotive Company at the Le Jeddah Meridien.
In all, 70 trainees, including 10 women, graduated in four different fields that include sales and marketing, accounting and financing, administration, and safety and security. The program started in August 2006 with the registration of 102 trainees, who underwent training for nine months at three institutions — the Regent Institute, the Millennium Institute and the Arab Institute for Safety and Security.
Those who graduated in February were provided jobs at the Balubaid Automotive Company, which will also employ the new graduates in June for positions in sales and marketing, client affairs and follow-up, accounts and administration, and as warehouse executives and receptionists.
“We take pride that we are able to contribute toward the Saudization process through our training programs. Our programs are of high quality and we consider our graduates as our future assets,” Khalid Omar Balubaid, vice president of the Balubaid Automotive Company said.
“The graduates received a high level of training, which added significantly to their skills,” he said, adding that the company would pursue such training programs as part of its Saudization process.
Ahmed Hassan Bahlool, director of human resources at Balubaid, said the new graduates would prove to be an important addition to the company with their newly-acquired training. “Their absorption in the company will help it speed up its Saudization process and also further expand its services.”
“Today, Balubaid is a strong, streamlined, dynamic business whose primary objective is to maintain market leadership in its core areas of business and develop new opportunities elsewhere in an ever changing market environment,” Balubaid said, adding that the automotive operations represent an important core business within the group.
