Fatima Muhammad

Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — The Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) has signed an agreement with Al-Mustawda Al-Khairi, a charity association, to provide training to young Saudi jobseekers in various trades like catering and sewing, beauty salons and photography. The training will be provided by Jeddah Chamber Academy for Training.



The program targets those who are benefiting from the charity association including orphans, divorced women, widows, families of imprisoned individuals, families of drug addicts and all families whose monthly salaries are below SR8,000.



The aim of the academy is to Saudize vocational jobs and provide the job market with skilled workers.



The agreement was singed by Sheikh Saleh Kamel, chairman of the JCCI, and Adel Farahat, general manager of the Al-Mustawda Al-Khairi, in the presence of Minister of Social Affairs Yousuf Al-Othaimin, who is also chief of the charity association.



The agreement puts the responsibility of choosing the jobs that are in demand on the JCCI which will also be offering training to them. The selection of training courses will be based on the need of the private sector and the available vacancies for Saudi youth of both genders, to bridge the gap between unemployment and market demand.



Al-Mustawda Al-Khairi will however approve and finance these programs. After the training the charity association will help youth get jobs in different fields they have been trained at. It will also provide the JCCI the data of jobseekers.



Sheikh Kamel said the recently established academy has different sections including, beauty care, sewing, fashion, hotels and catering and photography. The academy can accept up to 2,000 individuals per year.