Hassan Cheruppa Saudi Gazette JAZAN — Saudi Aramco has embarked on a major initiative to spur the growth and development of the southern Jazan region with a focus on developing human resources, city planning and tapping into vast potential of the region that lies in its sheer amount of natural resources. The initiatives encompass several areas including training and rehabilitation of the younger generation, exploring the avenues of investments and spurring an inflow of domestic and foreign investment. As many as 5,000 young locals are going to benefit from a training and rehabilitation package introduced by Aramco. The oil giant aims to set a unique model of professionalism and social responsibility by enabling the younger generation to take up challenging careers. This new drive is in strategic partnership with the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC) and a number of firms and contractors. Commending the initiative, Dr. Faiz Al-Abideen, special adviser to members of the royal family, told Saudi Gazette that Aramco's commitment to train 5,000 young Saudis in the educational, vocational, technical and moral domains will help build a future generation that can compete with anyone in advanced countries. The young men will be provided with intensive training in various professions and trades over the coming four years. A section of these trained cadets will be employed at the oil refinery while others will be hired to implement various industrial projects in Jazan and other regions of the Kingdom. Saudi Aramco President and CEO Khalid Al-Falih said this is part of the company's strategy to build an integrated and competent Saudi workforce and employ them not only in the oil, gas and downstream sectors but also in the manufacturing and service sectors. This will lead to unprecedented job opportunities for young Saudis and augment the national economy, he said. As part of Aramco's drive to make the younger generation aware about adhering to traffic safety rules, Aramco recently launched a campaign on the Jazan Corniche in cooperation with the local traffic safety committee. The campaign took the form of a mobile show on how to drive safely and what basics are to be kept in mind such as wearing seatbelts. A large number of people benefited from this presentation. The recently concluded Jazan Economic Forum (JEF) has set a unique example in front of young Saudis on how to organize an event in a superb way. A large number of Saudi students from Jazan University, including girls, were involved as volunteers. Saudi Aramco's professionalism and meticulous planning was evident in the organization of Jazan's first event of such magnitude. Al-Abideen, who attended the forum, said: “The well-organized and well-managed forum was impeccable. All the Aramco staffers were very helpful and courteous to the delegates.” He said each and every session at the forum was held on time and even ministers were given written reminders to stop on time. “This created a very good impression among the guests and the attendees, in addition to giving a good lesson to young Jazan men and women on how to organize events in a highly professional manner,” he said. Saudi Aramco also joined hands with the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA) and the local authorities in achieving Jazan city's accelerated growth and development. While addressing the opening session of the forum, Petroleum and Mineral Resources Minister Ali Al-Naimi announced the government's plan to make Jazan a major commercial and industrial hub not only in the southern part of the Kingdom but the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa region as a whole. Sharif Ziyadah, a Jordanian computer engineer working for Al-Mawarid Electronics, told Saudi Gazette that Saudi Aramco is doing a wonderful job in revamping Jazan. He said: “I had visited Jazan more than 100 times. But this time I see a new Jazan, especially the wonderful and flawless arrangements for JEF, thanks to Aramco.” The oil giant supervised the refurbishment of Jazan Heritage Village in style. Dr. Mubarak Sani, who works at the faculty of medicine, Jazan University, said: “There are hectic activities in all parts of Jazan to accelerate its development. I see breathtaking changes taking place in every part of the city.”
