The work environment in Riyadh
At the point when oil export started in the late 1930s, the regressive desert state experienced an abrupt rise thanks to its dynamic workforce. Saudi Arabia had neither the mastery nor the human resources to sustain its rapidly developing economy. Since then, the country opened its doors to foreign manpower. In 1970, 1 million foreign workers were employed in Saudi Arabia. Today, the foreign population accounts for around 10 million workers, making up about 33% of the country's population as a whole.
The local workforce
Saudi nationals occupy most of the well-paid positions in most areas of the economy. Offering attractive wages and a dynamic environment, Riyadh has become a popular destination for foreign professionals from around the world.
It's worth noting that the Saudis are not versatile since they favour the most socially regarded occupations, essentially in large companies and government bodies. Manual jobs are very often looked down on. Also, many Saudis would prefer to wait for new job openings in the public sector rather than taking a job in the private sector - which probably explains the high unemployment rate, especially among the youth and women.
Modern education
Modernizing the training framework is one of the focal mainstays of the "Vision 2030" program as declared by King Salman in 2016. The aim is to make the nation autonomous of oil in the near future. Vision 2030 sees the eventual fate of the nation as an "information-based economy". Today, ICT is a considerable asset, which is why Saudi nationals need to acquire such aptitudes. The local administration needs to accomplish this turnaround by depending on global aptitude and participation with private schooling organisations.
In recent years, many professional organisations have been set up, not only stimulating the economy by creating jobs but also by training the workforce. Called the schools of magnificence", these international organisations train young fellows and ladies for employment in new sectors like finance, sustainable energy, mining, framework, transportation and the travel industry.
Women in the workplace
One of the features of the Saudisation program is for organisations to get extra installations for women. Today, more and more women are looking to work, and consequently, have to commute. It's worth noting that women make up only 16'% of the absolute workforce - which is one of the least significant proportions in the Gulf region and worldwide.
Female workers generally work in the open division, more often as educators at young girls' schools. In Saudi Arabia, the kind of work women perform has nothing to do with free market activity on the work showcase. While Saudi work law grants women the privilege to take up indistinguishable occupations, it additionally stipulates that Sharia must be followed and that desires identifying with "a lady's inclination" must be considered. The two rules leave space for translation.
For guidance, the Ministry of Labour displays a "positive rundown" that uncovers which occupations are viewed as reasonable for women (for example, sales representatives, hairdressers, etc.). These are not strict standards, yet rather "definitive articulations" with solid regularizing power. Then again, a "negative rundown" distinguishes the positions that are probably inadmissible for women (for example, jobs in the mining area, construction and development, car manufacturing and mechanics, etc.)
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