Cell phone stores announce job vacancies for Saudis

JEDDAH: Mobile phone store owners in the city have displayed advertisements on their establishments announcing job vacancies for Saudi youths and certain terms and conditions, following a directive by the Labor Ministry to have 100 percent nationalization in the sector.
Labor Minister Mufrej Al-Haqabani has ordered that Saudis be employed in the entire mobile phone industry, covering sales, maintenance and accessories by Sept. 2.
The shop owners are ready to hire Saudis but say that the applicant will have to fulfill certain requirements.
Abu Mohammed, who has announced a vacancy for Saudi youth at his mobile phone store, said the job seekers should agree to the salary of SR4,000 for the posts of salesman and supervisor and SR3,000 for technician.
He said the applicants should have at least five months experience in mobile maintenance field, be ready to work for 12 hours in two shifts and should be aged 18 years and above.
He said that he wants the employees to deliver professional service so the customers, who have been coming to his shop for a long time, will not have any complaints.
The decision will be implemented in cooperation with the ministries of commerce and industry, municipal and rural affairs and communications and information technology, Al-Haqabani had said last month.
It followed notices sent to companies and employees in the industry telling them to have 50 percent Saudi employees in three months and 100 percent in six months, ending on Sept. 2 this year.
The aim is to create jobs for Saudi men and women that would give them financial stability and minimize cover-up activities. The decision must be enforced across the country and include small, medium and large businesses, the ministry has stated.
The ministry has said that it would work with the Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF), Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC), General Organization for Social Insurance, and other agencies.