Saudi Aramco’s National Industrial Training Institute (NITI) was recently inaugurated in al-Hasa, where Saudi youths will be trained to help fill the more than 1mn jobs needed in the Kingdom’s energy sector.
Amin H. Nasser, acting president and CEO of Saudi Aramco, said a three-element formula is required to address the challenge of providing thousands of job opportunities in the Kingdom.
They are: providing training and qualification based on market needs; reasonable and competitive wages to allow young Saudi employees to support and start a family; an appropriate work environment and job security.
NITI began last year with the enrollment of 655 young Saudis under “train-to-hire” contracts with Saudi Aramco and its joint ventures.
“The main challenge facing many national and international companies wishing to invest in the Kingdom and meet the Saudization percentage is finding qualified national employees,” Nasser said.
“By doubling the number of trained Saudis in technical and professional jobs for the Saudi energy sector — which requires about 1mn jobs — these training centres and institutes will have come a long way in meeting those needs.
“Successful Saudization will give us local strategic power as the basis for international competitiveness,” he said.
“We need to increase local content in the energy sector, including support services and industries, and Saudize the workforce in all companies forming a direct or indirect component of this sector’s supply chain.”
NITI can enroll 2,500 trainees from several private sector companies
• The institute includes 191 classrooms and laboratories, as well as 59 training workshops
• NITI provides 12 different specialisations based on the requirements of sponsoring companies.
• NITI has housing facilities to accommodate 1,000 trainees, a mosque for 1,000 people, and a 14-bed clinic
