Al-Watan newspaper

YOUNG Saudi men and women are no longer fooled by what some businessmen say our youth have no patience to do their job with responsibility. I would like to mention today some examples of youngsters who I have seen myself in various fields of work.

During interviews conducted for radio and television, I have seen young Saudis working alongside expats in the Empty Quarter to set up electrical poles and devices under the scorching sun with temperatures crossing 50-degree Celsius. They also distribute mail in the neighborhoods by walking or driving a modest car.

We can also see them in restaurants, buffets and university student centers as well as behind the steering wheels of Careem and Uber taxis. Do you think they were unable to find jobs in air-conditioned offices or is it a lie created by some Arab foreign workers for the benefit of some Saudi businessmen who promote this lie?

Recently I visited the first McDonald's restaurant managed by a Saudi in Riyadh. He told me his story and how he obtained the license from the company. He worked at a restaurant for a certain period and got the license. I am proud to say that there are many such young Saudis.

Many Saudis leave their jobs in private companies and establishments. Do you want to know the reason? The problem is with the huge disparity in salary given to employees irrespective of the work they do. In private schools, a teacher will have 24 classes like other educational staff, but his basic salary is SR2,800 while his colleague in public schools takes SR6,000.

Is it reasonable to expect from this young man to work 8 hours a day with this salary at private schools while public school teachers enjoy greater privileges and vacations? The Ministry of Education has done a great job when it forced school owners to pay at least SR5,000 to their teachers.

However, many private school teachers were caught off guard when the management stopped the payment of their salaries during summer holidays, when their public school colleagues enjoy paid vacation. It is not surprising if these teachers are depressed and wanted to leave their jobs.

Our Saudi youth have the skills, abilities and talents to do any job. They have the creativity if they are given a suitable working atmosphere. Many of them successfully run non-profit charitable organizations and engage in various volunteer services. Their outputs are clear to all.

Some Arab executives had the view that "Saudi youth do not want to work." But it has become a thing of the past. Statistics published by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development show that skilled Saudi workers now run most activities in companies and markets.

This is the result of Saudization program carried out by the Ministry of Labor and Social Development with the support of other government agencies. It goes in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which will be realized, God willing, by the young men and women of this country.

The return of hundreds of students who pursued higher studies in reputable international universities and institutions under the Foreign Scholarship Program will change the Kingdom’s job market situation and make the cliché “Saudis do not want to work” a big lie.

We pin great hope on the strength and determination of these young people who are ready to work in all fields and people should open their eyes to see the reality on the ground.