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HR forum seeks public-private strategic partnership

By P.K. ABDUL GHAFOUR JEDDAH: Strategic partnerships between the public and private sectors to best utilize Saudi manpower and creation of an appropriate work environment to increase their competitiveness and productivity will be the focus of a human resource development forum that opens at Jeddah Hilton on Oct. 1.

Ehab Aburakba, secretary-general of Jeddah HR Forum 2011, said the discussions would also focus on developing a positive work culture, taking into consideration the expectations of business owners. It will also discuss the new Saudi labor strategies to face challenges, expected results from the Nitaqat system and how to create a suitable work environment to attract and retain local talent.

Organizers believe the three-day forum would set out a new road map for the Kingdom's Saudization drive, discussing best practices in utilizing local talent and exploring ways and means to create jobs for young Saudi men and women.

"We hope it would give a big impetus to the Nitaqat program," one official said. It will also contribute to reorganizing the Saudi job market, he added.

The role of the human resource department is fast changing with companies looking to improve efficiency and effectiveness while enhancing business operations. Saudi Arabia has given utmost importance to HR development as the country's national budget earmarked SR150 billion ($40 billion) for education and training, which is set to boost the Saudization process.

Labor Minister Adel Fakeih, Chairman of the Council of Saudi Chambers Abdullah S. Al-Mobty, Vice Chair of Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry Lama A. Al-Sulaiman, Managing Partner of Koios Associates Charles Krakoff and People & Organization Leader of Ernst & Young Michael Mamish will address the forum.

Other prominent speakers include: Saad Al-Ghamdi, vice president of Abdul Latif Jameel Group ; Saleh A. Alturki, chairman of Nesma Holding Co .; Fouzi Bubshait, president of the Arabian Society for Human Resources Management; Amal Sheera, HR director at Schindler; and Abdullah Baeshen, chairman of TeamOne.

A leaders workshop will be held on the second day to be attended by Fakeih as well as businessmen and CEOs. The workshop will deal with challenges and barriers faced by the Saudization process over the past years.

It will explore possible solutions for HR practices to enforce nationalization and national participation in various business sectors. It will emphasize the need to invest in national cadre to achieve sustained development.

The forum's targeted audience include chairmen and CEOs of companies, government officials, business leaders, HR managers and specialists and planning and development management staff as well as training and recruitment managers, recruitment agencies and management consultants.

The forum is significant as it comes right after the launch of the second phase of the Nitaqat program. Fakeih said the second phase would bring about dramatic improvement in Saudization of jobs as Nitaqat offers companies employing Saudis a spate of benefits and incentives. "In addition to the incentives already declared, private employers will enjoy additional ones from the beginning of next Hijrah year (Nov. 26)," he said.

The ministry has received applications from 1.5 million Saudi jobseekers. "We'll finalize the list in November and this will enable us to provide the private sector with an adequate number of Saudi workers they require," Fakeih said, adding that the ministry would start imposing punishments on companies in the red category from Nov. 26.

He urged companies below their Saudization targets to correct their situations immediately.

© Arab News 2011

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