The Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) announced it has graduated 6,200 Saudi women from its mobile sales and repair workshops. TVTC spokesman said the corporation offers free mobile sales and repair workshops enabling Saudi men and women from working in the telecommunication industry. "These workshops are offered at various colleges and technical institutes all over the Kingdom. The workshops were offered to a total of 19 technical colleges for women, situated in various areas of the Kingdom," said the spokesman. The spokesman also said the workshops were offered by professional trainers. "The corporation offered four workshops: fundamentals of mobile repair, sales skills, customer service and advanced mobile repair. The corporation has graduated a total of 6,200 Saudi women so far. Each one of the following workshops takes 25 training hours: fundamentals of mobile repair, sales skills and customer service," he added. The spokesman also said the advanced mobile repair workshops required 180 hours of training. "Registration is still open and applicants can apply online for a place in the workshops. The workshops offer a variety of skills set needed to work in the telecommunication sector as salespersons and as technicians," said the spokesman. The spokesman said the trainees learn how to use hot air soldering tools, dealing with mobile dysfunctions, repairing mobile applications, sales skills and how to interact with customers through the workshops offered by the corporation. "The corporation also helps graduates of their programs with seeking jobs or starting their own business through various support programs," said the spokesman. Ongoing inspections in telecom sector Meanwhile, government entities have intensified a collective taskforce to inspect telecom establishments all over the country to check compliance to the directive aimed to nationalize shops selling mobile phones and accessories. Besides detecting violations, penalizing violators and shutting down shops in the telecommunication sector, the ongoing inspections have been conducted to enforce 50 percent Saudization in its first phase which started on June 6, whereas the second phase is almost ten days away (Sept. 2) to implement 100 percent. The Ministries of Labor and Social Development, Commerce and Investment, Municipal and Rural Affairs, Interior and Communication and IT are tasked to carry out the ministerial decision that targets the total nationalization of sales outlets and maintenance shops of mobile phones and their accessories. Shops hanging closed-down signs were spotted and warned of permanent closures if they continue to ignore the regulation, as well as the inspectors scheduled another field visit to them, which uncovered violations of labor and residence regulations and cover-up business. The Labor Ministry has urged stakeholders to report violations relating to the nationalization of the sector through visiting the website at rasd.ma3an.gov.sa or contacting the uniform customer service No. 19911. The ministry has also assured many times that all reports will be handled promptly as the ministry is resolute to regulate the labor market starting from the telecom sector to other domains that are planned to address in the future. The ministry is not excluding any mega, large, medium or small-sized establishment from implementing the directive amid the first phase of Saudization plan coming to an end soon.
