Owners and managers of several local firms here say they are fully behind government’s Saudization program and plan to increase their hiring and training of locals.

Hisham Albahkali, president and chief executive officer of General Electric Manufacturing Technology Center (GEMTEC) in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, said the firm aims to have 72 percent Saudization soon.

It has enrolled 26 young Saudis in its information technology, human resources, communications and finance leadership programs.

“One of the central pillars of GE’s long-term operations in the Kingdom, over the past eight decades, has been to promote a culture of localization and human capital development. We believe that empowering local youth and professionals for business leadership positions is of strategic importance for the tremendous value it brings in the long run.”

“We are committed to further strengthening our Saudi workforce and promoting their all-round skills, and have invested significantly in training and development initiatives. Our investments in a variety of sectors such as energy, oil and gas, health care, aviation and transportation are also aimed at creating new jobs, supporting small and medium enterprises and promoting entrepreneurship.”

Haneef Abdullah, a human resources manager for a plastics manufacturing company, said his firm has consulted with the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) to find Saudis on its database looking for jobs in the public and private sectors.

“This initiative of the HRDF helps us find potential and trained candidates for positions,” said Abdullah.

“We believe we are empowering ambitious young Saudis with the know-how and expertise to pursue careers in various sectors,” said Mohammed Ghamdi, a Jeddah-based entrepreneur.

Saudi Airlines Catering Company has also trained and hired male and female Saudis for various jobs in the company, to ensure they can take up leadership positions at a later stage.