Pioneering women’s telecom complex opens in Riyadh

PRIVATE ENVIRONMENT: The inauguration of the women’s telecom complex in Riyadh’s Al-Remal district was attended by Labor Ministry officials and mobile shop owners. (SPA)

RIYADH: The Al-Remal district of Riyadh witnessed the opening of the first women’s telecom complex, a move that has received a great deal of endorsement by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development.
The inauguration was attended by the ministry’s officials including Director of the Guided Localization Program Dr. Ibrahim Al-Shafiei and Assistant Deputy Minister for Special Programs Abdulmunim Al-Shehri, as well as Abdulrahman Al-Hameed, the complex’s owner, and other mobile shop owners.
Addressing the occasion, Al-Shafiei emphasized that the nationalization of the telecom sector is as a result of the ministry’s efforts in Saudizing salespersons and maintenance professionals, mentioning that other sectors will be targeted with the aim of increasing the share of Saudi workers in line with the National Transformation Program 2020 and Saudi Vision 2030.
Al-Shafiei seized the opportunity to introduce several programs to business owners which encourage Saudi nationals to embark on the telecom sector, some of them include free-of-charge training programs in the fields of maintenance, customer service and salesmanship.
Such programs take place at the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) and other incentives like payroll rebate are supported by the Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf), besides loans by the Saudi Credit and Saving Bank, Al-Shafiei said further.
Al-Shafiei added that the ministry have seen positive cooperation from business men engaged in the telecom sector as they support the directive aiming to employ Saudi men and women, extending his thanks to investors for their unswerving efforts and urging them to continue such collaboration.
On another front, Al-Shehri thanked the complex’s owner for supporting the directive as well as providing the suitable work environment for women in order to contribute in the Saudi labor market.
Al-Shehri mentioned that the ministry is seeking to achieve the objectives under the NTP 2020 along with the Saudi Vision 2030 that aim to raise the women’s participation in the labor market whether they are workers or investors in the light of cooperation from their peers.
The Kingdom’s female workforce has the capability to be highly productive as long as women have access to the proper and safe work environment in the private sector, Al-Shehri said in reference to women working in the telecom sector given its tendency to yield attractive job opportunities.
Al-Hameed said that businessmen have shown support for the nationalization of the sector implemented by the ministry as they prepare exclusive space for women owners to set up their own businesses and allow female shoppers to purchase mobile phones and get them fixed by female workers in a private atmosphere.
Al-Hameed added that the complex has prepared a special department for women that meets the requirements of the work environment set by the ministry as well as provides services such as bathrooms, break rooms, cafeteria and around-the-clock security guards.
The complex also provides transportation means for female business owners of mobile shops as it offers free three-month rent for entrants so they can establish their business, Al-Hameed said as well.