RIYADH: Saudi female graduates outnumber their male counterparts in an on-the-job training program launched by the Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf).
Hadaf said that more than 61,000 male and female graduates with a diploma, bachelor's degree, or higher degree had benefited from the Tamheer program since its launch in 2017.
Of this figure, 74 percent of participants were female.
Riyadh, Makkah, and the Eastern Province were the top three regions represented by participants.
Tamheer aims to help Saudi nationals acquire the expertise and skills required for the labor market through practical training in the workplace in line with their major or field of study.
It also helps raise their employability and stimulates the private sector to attract trained nationals once they have completed the training phase.
Tamheer provides a monthly financial stipend of SR2,000 ($533) for graduate diploma holders from technical, health, and administrative institutes and colleges, and SR3,000 ($800) for people with a bachelor’s degree and above.
It also bears the insurance costs for trainees when they are in the work environment for the practical element of the program.
The training period ranges from three to six months.
Trainees receive an experience certificate upon successful completion of the program.
To qualify for the program, applicants need to be higher education graduates and have been unemployed for at least six months.
Hadaf has renewed its invitation to establishments to offer training opportunities through the Taqat national labor portal.
It encourages companies to train Saudi graduates enrolled in the program. It is funded by Hadaf using the fees paid in a parallel program called Nitaqat, the Saudization scheme aimed at decreasing unemployment rates while also mobilizing the country's human capital to its full potential.
When companies pay for Saudization units to reach a particular range in the Nitaqat program, this money is used as incentives for graduates in Tamheer.
Companies that offer on-job training through Tamheer also benefit from the program since Hadaf defrays the company's financial expenses by paying the trainees a monthly incentive.
Employers get the chance to know about the skills and qualifications of Saudis in the labor market and hire the most qualified people to work for them.
Companies registering in the program must meet specific requirements to qualify for it.
There should be a clear plan for trainees, a mentor appointed for every 10 trainees, a monthly attendance record, and feedback for trainees.
Tamheer allows government, semi-government, and private establishments to enroll.
It helps develop the Saudi economy and society by enabling young people to be part of the workforce.
