Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Makkah Governorate will launch a project in collaboration with King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC) in Rabigh to qualify, train and employ more than 10,000 Saudi male and female university graduates before the end of 2020.

The governorate said this will be done with the help of more than 200 private companies and establishments.

It said this will be part of the program to build "man and develop the place" which was part of the governorate's strategy.

The governorate said this will be the largest program of its kind aimed at cutting down joblessness, uplifting the economic conditions of the residents and curbing migration from the villages to the cities.

Makkah Emir Prince Khaled Al-Faisal asked the universities and the companies in the province to train and qualify university graduates with a view to preparing them for the job market.

The emir issued the directives during a recent meeting in Jeddah with the CEO of the KAEC, Fahd Al-Rasheed.

"The universities have to go out of their premises to reach the society and contribute to the development of the man and place," he said.

Following the directives of the emir, a series of meetings were held between officials from the governorate, the KAEC and the private companies and establishments to implement the project.

Following the emir's visit to Rabigh last year, about 5,000 male and female university graduates were employed by the private sector.