Fatima Muhammad

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — A workshop at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) on Tuesday called for setting up a higher commission for an organized training sector. The workshop, organized by the training committee of the JCCI, discussed various difficulties faced by this sector and ways to organize it.



Participants in the deliberations also called on providing a database for all Saudi trainers and demanded that unlicensed trainers should not be allowed to be operate under any circumstances. They were of the view that collaboration between different training companies was crucial and  as it would help local companies compete with international firms.  



Ahmed Al-Sultan, head of the JCCI’s training committee, said deliberations during the workshop and its outcome will be crucial to develop training sector in the Kingdom. Besides private and public sectors, he said, charity sector has also been included in the scheme of things as this sector has an allocation of large amount of money for training purposes.



The net value of training in the Kingdom adds up to SR10 million, of which, he said Saudis should also have a share. “We demand that there must be a quota for employing Saudis in training whether this is being done by a Saudi or a foreign company. In other words we want to Saudize the sector,” he said.



He said the committee was now in the process of creating a database for trainers and will provide a website that categorizes them in cooperation with the JCCI. He noted that trainers need to be respected and get their fees on time.



Abdullah Al-Harbi, head of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) in Makkah province, said they will issue license to trainers and will work on to curb the practice of open training that does not add value to the trainees.



The TVTC, he said, will work hand in hand with the JCCI to organize this sector. He noted that companies can provide training to their staff without TVTC’s permission.



Speaking to Saudi Gazette on the sidelines of the workshop, he said that institutions that provide fake training certificates will be punished. They face one-month closure for the first violation and will be obliged to refund the fee charged to the trainees. If the same violation is registered again the institute will be closed down for good and it will be forced to give back the fees it has taken from the trainees.