A local restaurant here has been doing its bit to solve the country's unemployment problem by hiring 13 young Saudi males to work as waiters, trainee chefs and accountants, Al-Watan newspaper reported on Tuesday. The initiative of the Bayt Al-Shawaya Restaurant in Tabuk was welcomed by the director of the local labor office and customers at the restaurant. Mansour Al-Shareef, director of the Tabuk labor office, said that the Saudization percentage was high in services, entertainment, restaurants, hotels and furnished apartments. “Many Saudis have overcome the stigma of working in these fields. The proof is that 13 young Saudi men now work for this restaurant for salaries of SR3,500 and other perks.” Some employers and businessmen have not hired Saudis because of the perception that they have a poor work ethic, Al-Shareef said. In a tour of Bayt Al-Shawaya Restaurant, the newspaper found some Saudis working as accountants, some were preparing food while others were serving food to customers. They said their salaries range between SR3,000 and SR3,500 a month, including social and health insurance and annual vacation. Fahd Al-Malki, who works for the restaurant, is happy to have a job. “I serve food to customers eight hours a day for SR3,000 a month. I'm satisfied with my job.” Fahd has dreams of becoming a chef. Muhammad Mabrook, who also works for the restaurant, said his salary was increased to SR3,500 and he was transferred to the company's headquarters because he proved himself as an able accountant. Atallah Al-Sharari, a customer, said it was a good sign that Saudis were working in the private sector. “Our sons should understand the importance of work.” Al-Sharari believes that employers should provide more perks and high salaries for their Saudi staff so that they can stay in their jobs. He cited as examples Saudis working as chefs at hotels. “There are highly-qualified Saudi chefs who hold important positions at hotels,” he said.
