Saudi Gazette report

JEDDAH — Scores of young Saudi engineering professionals have played a remarkable role in realizing the giant project of the new King Abdulaziz International Airport terminal, thanks to the initiative of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA).

The authority has been keen to rely on Saudi talent and professional efficiency of young Saudi men and women by making them available the best methods and standards.

Eng. Ghaida Al-Shehri, the first architect to participate in the new airport project, expressed her happiness and pride to be part of the huge contingent of young Saudi engineers deployed to implement this huge national edifice.

“As an engineer supervising the project implementation, I have acquired many skills in project management with an opportunity to work in a team assigned to find technical solutions and complete the work within the stipulated period of time,” she told the Saudi Press Agency.

On his part, Eng. Rabie Asali expressed his excitement over being provided with an opportunity to have great experiences through working for the new airport.

The project was technically a “university” that equipped every engineer to work on any project that serves Saudi Arabia in the future, he said.

Al-Shehri and Asali were part of a large number of young Saudi engineers who have played a remarkable role in realizing one of the largest projects in the Kingdom and the region as a whole.

The new terminal, spreading over 810,000 square meters, has the capacity to serve more than 30 million passengers.

Ever since the beginning of implementing the project, GACA has been able to intensify the rehabilitation and training of Saudi men and women engineers in its bid to boost their competencies that contribute effectively to implement the project in the service and development sectors in a way producing a positive impact on the national economy.

Abdul Rahman Al-Wafi, an electronics engineer, said that the mammoth size of the airport, which connects the East and West, makes anyone with an engineering certificate dream of working for it.

“One of the assigned duties for me at the airport was to oversee and follow up on the existing work in the project and coordinate work with all the relevant agencies.”

Al-Wafi said that they have undergone intensive rounds during which they have been trained to supervise the works at the airport, including operation and project management.

“All these have contributed to enhance abilities and efficiency to manage any future projects in addition to the considerable experience in the field of electronic systems for airports.”

For his part, Eng. Hassan Ghawati stressed that the new airport project is an outstanding architectural masterpiece and the Kingdom’s gateway to the world.

“We, the Saudi engineers, have received a distinguished qualification within an integrated engineering program and intensive field training courses,” he said while lauding GACA for the great support accorded to them.