His Excellency the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, Engineer Ahmed bin Sulaiman Al-Rajhi, issued a ministerial decision obligating private sector establishments with 50 or more employees to provide cooperative training for students, in accordance with the approved study plan of the educational institution to which the student belongs and the requirements of the labor market.
The decision aims to raise the quality and efficiency of training programs in private sector establishments, sustain development and growth opportunities, and enable university, college and institute students to train in establishments in order to qualify them for the labor market, raise their performance level and improve their practical skills by providing them with the necessary knowledge and skills as requirements for their academic achievement, which contributes to increasing their chances of obtaining suitable job opportunities after graduation.
The decision stipulated the existence of a documented and time-bound contract between the trainee and the establishment, subject to the labor system, and including the type of skills required and the profession for which training will be conducted, in addition to the training stages. The establishment must also grant the trainee a certificate of completion after the end of the cooperative training period.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development issued a procedural guide explaining all the details of the decision, which can be viewed through the Ministry’s website. It also calls on establishments to comply with the details of this decision in order to avoid the legal penalties against violating establishments.
It is worth noting that the decision came in cooperation with the Ministry of Education, the General Organization for Technical and Vocational Training, and the Human Resources Development Fund, in addition to holding meetings and workshops with the targeted private sector establishments, as the Ministry seeks to improve the knowledge, skills, and training level of the workforce, to enhance its stability and productivity in the labor market.