THE chief of Public Transport Commission, Rumaih Muhammad Al-Rumaih, has said a new polytechnic will be established to help nationalize the transport industry in the Kingdom, particularly Al-Haramian High Speed Rail, and create more job opportunities for young Saudis. Speaking on the sidelines of the Eighth Technical Conference and Exhibition held in Riyadh, Al-Rumaih said investments in this sector are huge and therefore there is a need to nationalize jobs. Currently there is an agreement with the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) to set up a new polytechnic, which will be a Saudi institute for railways. Young Saudis will graduate from the polytechnic in various specializations that include locomotives, communication, control, maintenance of the railway and its infrastructure. Speaking about the Saudi Vision 2030, Rumaih said there is a committee headed by the minister of transport working to achieve the goals of the vision. He said they have various initiatives that aim at developing the infrastructure, simplifying customs procedures and facilitating free trade. He said they are also considering expanding some existing projects and starting new projects. Abdul Aziz Al-Sugair, general manager of the Saudi Railway Polytechnic (SRP), said they participated in the conference to highlight the role of training youth in railway jobs. "Some 50 Saudis have graduated from the polytechnic. They are immediately absorbed in Saudi Railway Company." Al-Sugair noted that there is a great need for qualified youths in this sector. Saudi railway projects will cover about 6,000 kilometers with up to seven hubs in the Kingdom. Ahmad Al-Fuhaid, governor of the TVTC, said the conference presented five recommendations that focused on developing training using methods that meet the demands of the 21st century. He added that other recommendations called for the creation jobs and training that meet the market demand, expansion of innovative distance training. In addition, the participants called for increasing technical programs devoted for Saudi women and integrate education with training and business.
