Barrak, Executive President of the Saudi Electricity Company, says he hopes that King Abdullah's decision to provide one year's unemployment benefit to young Saudi jobseekers will lead to training and improvements in the skills of the country's youth to match the demands of the job market. Young Saudis share his optimism, but retain concerns that the incentive could instead be exploited by the “lazy”. Speaking to Okaz/Saudi Gazette, Al-Barrak said the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques was “unquestionably concerned for all that is of importance to the life and living conditions of his people everywhere”, and that the move, which was announced as King Abdullah arrived back in the country Wednesday after surgery abroad, would yield “great results”. “It will be a great incentive to search for a job and will help youth improve themselves during the period they receive the benefit,” he said. “They will be able to develop their skills through continual training in order to obtain good jobs.” The response to the one-year unemployment benefit from young Saudis has been positive with a note of caution. University graduate Muhammad Hussein said the assistance would reduce the burden on families supporting unemployed youth and would also provide extra motivation to seek better qualifications. Fahd Nawwaf, however, said he hoped it would not have the opposite effect. “I hope it doesn't encourage people to stay out of work,” said the computer studies graduate. “I think everyone applying for the benefit should be required to enroll on training courses that cost the same amount of money as the amount given in benefit.” Faris Al-Juhani, who studied English at university and is currently unemployed, said he was concerned that the unemployment benefit might be “exploited by the lazy”, particularly “those who aren't even looking for a job”. “That's why it needs rules, or it could be done through a fund working in coordination with the private sector, though I am also concerned that the private sector might use it as an excuse to avoid taking serious measures to employ young Saudis by saying that the state already covers them through the unemployment benefit,” he said. University student Banan Salim said that the positive side was that recipients would be able to provide for themselves and would not have to depend on their parents, but she warned that it could encourage laziness and was also concerned at the impact on the national budget. “I hope that it serves to create job opportunities and training so recipients can obtain qualifications, as that is what is most needed,” she said.
