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Nitaqat in the Spotlight - new report out today calls for alignment between education sector and businesses

The remarkable commitment to education reforms which are progressing the knowledge economy of the Kingdom at a rapid pace, will only be fully realised if private businesses are aligned with the intentions of the government according to a report published today.

Nitaqat in the Spotlight, published by global management consultancy Hay Group, finds that there is a disconnect between key stakeholders that needs to be tackled in order to address the concerns of private sector employers. The author of the report, Chance Wilson, General Manager of Hay Group in Saudi Arabia says the report provides new insight into how private sector business views the programme:

"On the surface, national and expatriate leaders talk about a knowledge and skills gap between expatriates and the national workforce but on closer examination this is rooted in a deeper misalignment between the private, public and education sectors in the Kingdom. These are not matters that can be addressed in isolation by private companies or the Ministry of Labour."

"Leaders in our research tell us their concerns regarding Saudisation centre around the work-readiness of Saudi nationals, fit to role and difficulties with the process of knowledge transfer. Many feel that the approach of recruiting in order to meet a Sadisation target, followed by training for a specific role, means new recruits are sometimes not given the opportunity to find their true vocation."

"Overall, expatriates in our research are supportive of Nitaqat and feel it is the right thing to do, with respondents overwhelmingly agreeing with this statement. They also told us they feel a great responsibility for knowledge transfer, with 37 per cent of responses concurring with this statement. However, 37 per cent of respondents said their organisation has been unable to find a Saudi national with the required knowledge, skills and experience to Saudise their role, which suggests companies are struggling with implementation due to deeper-rooted issues despite comprehensive support from the Ministry of Labour."

Hay Group's study which took place between August 2011 and January 2012 explores the perceived strengths and weaknesses of the Nitaqat programme according to senior expatriate business leaders in the Kingdom. It also identifies key development priorities for Saudisation of the private sector. Wilson commented:

"The top three development priorities identified in our research are establishing minimum standards of education for school leavers, a greater use of apprenticeship schemes and more emphasis on training and development in the workplace. A recurring theme in the report is vocational experience earlier in the career cycle." He added "Seventy per cent of Saudi nationals do not go on to higher education and so there are numerous opportunities for initiatives such as apprenticeship schemes and vocational training. At present these young people could be slipping through the system."

"Many companies have excellent development programmes, have established on the job training, and are already in the Nitaqat platinum zone. These companies should be held up as role models for their peer companies and crucially, encouraged to share their success stories."

He concluded: "Overall, our report finds that a more concerted effort is required to bridge the gap between public and private sectors if the Kingdom is to fulfil its vision of creating 6 million jobs for Saudi nationals by 2030."

About the research: Hay Group's research covered more than 150 CEOs, General Managers and Senior Managers in KSA between August 2011 and January 2012. 57 per cent of our respondents have been working in the Kingdom for five years or more.

A copy of the questionnaire can be viewed at www.haygroup.com/nitaqat

Please note: these findings should be credited to 'global management consultancy Hay Group', and not 'Hay' or 'Hays', which are separate and unrelated organisations.

About Hay Group
Hay Group is a global consulting firm that works with leaders to turn strategies into reality. We develop talent, organise people to be more effective, and motivate them to perform at their best. With 84 offices in 48 countries, we work with over 7,000 clients across the world. Our clients are from the public and private sector, across every major industry, and represent diverse business challenges. Our focus is on making change happen and helping organisations realise their potential. For more information, please visit www.haygroup.com/sa.

For further information:
Miss Joanne Rogers
M: +971 50 554 1663
E: joanne.rogers@haygroup.com

© Press Release 2012

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