SABIC OPERATES in a highly technical industry and therefore invests heavily in developing its human resources to meet its needs.

Sabic R&T, for example, has a strategy of promoting skills transfer to ensure that its future workforce is equipped with the knowledge and competencies needed to assure competitive advantage and continued success.

By developing its human resources, Sabic endeavours to improve cost efficiencies and enhance its competitive advantages.

And Saudis play an increasingly important role in the continued success of the company as training and investment programmes are tailored to meet the needs of the organisation.

Last year, Sabic employed a total of 14,400 staff, of which 10,850 were Saudi nationals. This level is at a record high and this trend is set to continue, with some manufacturing facilities whose Saudisation levels have already hit 90 per cent.

Efforts by Sabic to employ more Saudis is driven by two key objectives: to achieve maximum utilisation of Saudi manpower and to advance the Saudi government's policy of economic and industrial development for the country.

The quality of national employees is rising all the time. Indeed, senior management and executive positions at Sabic are now exclusively Saudi. Increasing numbers of Saudis are also now being employed in technical, engineering and IT-related disciplines.

Sabic's global marketing business is now managed almost entirely by Saudi citizens, supported by an international network which includes overseas affiliates and branch offices which also employ local personnel.

Sabic is now looking to employ up to 82 per cent Saudis by next year.

Sabic says that it will continue to invest in the training, development and welfare of its staff through a policy of gradual job succession to replace expatriate employees. In implementing this policy, Sabic has drawn up plans which would guarantee work continuity and consistency for Saudi nationals.

Sabic is renowned, both in the Kingdom and overseas, for the high quality of training programmes which are constantly being upgraded.

The Administrative Assistants Program (AAP) prepares young, educated Saudi citizens with intense training in office administration and management., and is tailored to maximise the new employees' on-the-job performance.

Every summer, the Sabic Training Department provides training for groups of Saudi students. Aspiring students from universities, other institutes and high schools are trained in English language and computer skills during the summer holidays.

Sabic and its affiliates also often sponsor their employees for special training courses that are designed to improve their learning and specialisation.

In addition, the universities and colleges in Saudi Arabia are keen on pursuing training-related programs arranged in coordination with national companies.

These programs are specially tailored for final year students who are about to graduate.

Sabic's Training Department also oversees on-job training (OJT) for these students, both at the headquarters and at affiliates in Saudi Arabia.

In Jubail, Sabic's Training Department has a long term goal of consolidating the staff training requirements of the affiliates.

Such consolidation is expected to provide significant cost savings for the affiliates, since the companies already invest large sums on technical and administrative manpower training.

Cost savings are likely to come from the benefits of a central training location in Jubail, thus eliminating the need for the affiliates to have their own infrastructure facilities and trainers.

Sabic officials estimate that the affiliates will ultimately reduce costs by up to 60 per cent.

To date, human resource development programmes at Sabic have provided the Corporation with competitive advantages and will now prepare the organisation for the business and technological challenges which lie ahead.