Saudi plans 300 training centres to boost job market

VOCATION CENTRES: Saudi Arabia is building 300 centres in a bid to reduce the reliance on foreign labour in industries such as construction. (Getty Images - for illustrative purposes only)

Saudi officials have drawn up plans to build 300 technical and vocational centres to train local children up in a bid to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign workers in many sectors.

Construction of some of the campuses are already underway, an official said, with a view to accommodating about 50,000 new trainees.

The Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC), the government-run agency, has also embarked on a major project to revise the outdated curricula and training programmes.

“It has become imperative to revise courses keeping in view the fundamental changes that have taken place in the texts, strategies and overall technical education system,” Ali al-Ghafees, TVTC governor, said in comments published by Arab News on Tuesday.

Ghafees, speaking on the sidelines of the fifth Saudi Technical Conference and Exhibition, said the new training programmes were being formulated according to the needs of the local labour market.

Referring to the establishment of new technical and vocational centers, he said plans are afoot to set up 36 higher learning facilities for young women.

“Construction work is already under way for some campuses. There is an urgent need to polish the skills of young Saudi boys and girls, who will eventually enter the job market,” he told the paper.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Culture of Learning
Posted by Yusuf (Mario) D. Germino, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on Tuesday 13 January 2009 at 13:05 UAE time


This past several years have been years of progress in Saudi Arabia. Change and development can be see all around. The construction industry in in an all time high. Liquit assets had been flowing in back to the Kingdom.

However, so little of these resources were used for the advancement of knowledge and learning. In almost every huge vacant lot, shopping malls or commercial buildings are being constructed, but none if not only a few, are intended for school or learning institutions.

The influence of commerce and trading is still stronger than the desire to educate.

The majority of Saudi youth are finding themselves in the high path of deciding whether to shop or not, instead of what learning to take.

More efforts from the Saudi businessman should be dedicated to supporting his/her countrymen improve on their knowledge and capability to take jobs and local employment.

Glad that the TVTC Governor finally is taking a strong action in support of Saudization

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