Young Saudi men and women will embark upon a new cultural dimension by applying to work in professions that used to be among the most detested jobs in Saudi culture during the 18th employment fair in Madina in March. At the top of the list of professions which Saudis have traditionally found least attractive are jobs, such as, factory milking specialist, construction worker, auto-body repair worker, carpenter, and blacksmith. The Madina Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has invited private companies to shortlist their required jobs in 49 professions and make them available to Saudis based on their qualifications. The MCCI has recommended that in the 18th employment fair, new positions be made available for Saudis to work as construction workers, factory milking supervisors, pump technicians, heating and cooling technicians, wood painters, and car-body workers. And as tourism has started to emerge in the Kingdom, jobs for travel guides, tourist program designers, hotel drivers and receptionists will be available. The applicants will join 14 to 52-week-long paid, training programs designed by their companies. The National Training Organization will pay 75 percent of the trainees' monthly stipends during their training programs. The 17th employment fair was held in Jeddah in October, 2008 and provided at least 1,000 jobs. There are reportedly at least 600,000 unemployed Saudis. In a recruitment program dubbed “Our Experience for the Future” at Arar Technical College, Prince Turki Al-Faisal, chairman of King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies, said it is “unacceptable” to have such a large number of unemployed Saudis in a country with 6 million foreign workers.
