RIYADH: At least 120,000 people this year have benefited from government training programs and skill development initiatives aimed at achieving financial independence, a Saudi vice minister told Arab News.
Abdullah Abuthnain, vice minister of human resources and social development for labor at the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, spoke to Arab News about some of the ministry’s recent initiatives that were discussed at the Regional Social Security Forum for Asia and the Pacific, organized by the General Organization for Social Insurance, or GOSI, in Riyadh.
“We introduced new reforms such as launching the professional accreditation program to verify the capabilities of expatriate workers in all categories. In partnership with employers, we launched the national training campaign, Waad, to provide about 3 million training opportunities,” he said.
The ministry aims to upskill and reskill more than 320,000 workers in seven sectors in cooperation with the human capacity development program, Abuthnain added.
It has also established 12 councils to improve the skills of the Saudi workforce, he said.
One notable initiative was the launching of the “Qiwa” platform, which provides more than 130 basic services to regulate the market, Abuthnain said.
The ministry has encouraged the digitization of contracts and has set regulations to support new forms of work, such as adopting freelance work, flexible work and remote work, he added.
The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development aims to support low-income groups in society by promoting their integration and empowerment.
To achieve this, the ministry established “empowerment clinics,” which serve as community centers connecting government entities with the private and non-profit sectors to meet the diverse needs of individuals and families receiving social security.
A session at the forum, “Practical Approaches to Excellence in Social Security Administration,” demonstrated the importance of enhancing efficient and effective social security laws.
The session also addressed several key topics, including ways to improve productivity, protect workers and ensure unemployment insurance coverage.
The forum provides an exclusive framework for professionals to exchange experiences, strategies and best practices, to enhance administrative efficiency and supporting innovation methods, said Ammar Nagadi, vice minister of economy and planning.
Participants agreed on the need to develop effective training and professional programs to support the unemployed in returning to the labor market, along with improving compensation disbursement mechanisms.
They discussed investing social security funds in long-term investment projects that ensure substantial returns and enhance the financial sustainability of social security systems, with a focus on transformation and innovation in this field.
In the plenary session titled “Transformation and Innovation — Key Success Factors,” speakers emphasized digital transformation and innovation in addressing the growing challenges facing social security systems.
GOSI also received 10 international certificates of excellence in the field of social security best practices, presented by Dr. Mohamed Azman, president of the International Social Security Association, during the forum.
The certificates recognized the authority’s success in the digital transformation of insurance protection and detecting insurance fraud.
