Saudi Arabia’s Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf) is connecting university graduates to the labour market through an on-the-job training scheme called Tamheer.
This month the programme is providing 1,500 new training positions for graduates in the health, engineering, technical, management, and technical fields, said Tasneem Mohammed, Hadaf’s communications officer.
Tamheer enrols participants in trainings in public institutions and private companies so they can acquire skills needed by the labour market, Mohammed said.
The programme finds the places by negotiating with the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Sport, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Commerce and Investment, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, and the Public Health Authority, she said.
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Tamheer is open to Saudi nationals who are graduates of universities or other higher education institutions, such as technical, health, and management institutes and colleges. In addition, applicants must have been unemployed for at least six months, and they must not have previously benefitted from the programme.
Graduates can register their interest in joining a training in a particular specialisation via the National Labour Portal (Taqat). The portal is an online platform for Saudi Arabia’s labour market that brings together job seekers and employers.
Financial Rewards for Trainees
During their training, participants receive stipends ranging from 2,000 Saudi riyals (about $540) a month for graduates of technical, health and management colleges to 3,000 riyals ($800) for those who hold bachelor’s degrees. (The estimated monthly cost of living for a single person in Saudi Arabia is about 2,800 riyals, not including rent, according to the website Numbeo.)
During their training, participants receive stipends ranging from 2,000 Saudi riyals (about $540) a month for graduates of technical, health and management colleges to 3,000 riyals ($800) for those who hold bachelor’s degrees.
Hadaf also provides insurance for participants during the trainings, which last from three to six months.
The programme has helped over 70,000 male and female participants in its five years of existence, Mohammed said. Almost three-quarters of Tamheer’s participants have been women, according to statistics released by Hadaf in May.
Developing the National Workforce
Abdullah Al-Maghlouth, a professor of economics at King Faisal University, called Tamheer a “distinguished initiative” that helps young people gain labour market experience, especially in private companies that require specific skills, which helps them keep up with the rapid pace of technological development.
“The programme aims to attract distinguished cadres of young people to benefit from their employment in various companies and promote the country’s national development,” Al-Maghlouth told Al-Fanar Media.
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The programme engages trainees in an actual work environment through tasks they complete under the supervision of professional trainers, Al-Maghlouth said. He called on university graduates to join the programme to learn the skills the labour market wants and meet the needs of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
Tamheer is one of several Hadaf initiatives that aim to empower and train the Saudi workforce.
Under another initiative, Hadaf pays a portion of the salaries of those employed in the private and non-profit sectors for up to two years. It also finances projects that aim to replace foreign workers with Saudi nationals.
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