DAMMAM — About 300 young Saudi men in the Eastern Province have taken up jobs as carpenters, welders and masons. The young men are from the families that are being looked after by the Al-Birr Charity Organization. They have benefited from an agreement with the National Program for Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (NPVRE) to provide 10,000 jobs for the sons and daughters of the Saudi families being sponsored by the organization. Secretary-general of the organization in the Eastern Province Sameer Al-Efaisan said 35 such jobs are still vacant for young Saudis to fill. He said the agreement with the program is aimed at qualifying young Saudi men and women technically and vocationally and find them suitable jobs in the labor market. "This step will have a positive impact on the families. It will also ensure a regular supply of skilled workers to the labor market," he said. Efaisan believes that the labor market is still in need of a large number of workers in such trades as carpentry, welding, painting, masons and tile layers. He lauded the support of Emir of the Eastern Province Prince Saud Bin Naif to the organization and to all the welfare projects it is implementing. "Replacing expatriates with Saudi hands is the main objective behind the agreement with the NPVRE which has the motto of: "Hand in hand ... together we will build our present and future". Efaisan called for creating more jobs for Saudis to reduce the rate of unemployment and dependence on foreign workers. He said under the agreement, the young Saudi men and women will also be trained on contracting, agriculture, maintenance, embroidery, folklore cuisine and others. He said the NPVRE is extending incentives to the young men and women to get settled by organizing mass weddings. "For Saudis who have completed a year in training, we pay a financial assistance of SR10,000 in addition to home furniture. We also help those who have completed two years to purchase cars through installments," he said.
