dammanjobs

Firms lament lack of qualified workers

RIYADH

Demand for Filipino skilled workers and design
engineers is increasing in the Saudi province of
Dammam, labor attaché Delmer Cruz said.

Cruz said he has been getting inquiries about
Filipino workers in the eastern province, particularly
for ongoing petrochemical projects.

However, many companies complained that they
could not hire manpower in the Philippines as
there are no available workers who fit their
requirements.

“There is huge demand for skilled workers,
particularly welders, pipe fitters, and oil riggers. But
we are short of these skilled manpower to supply
their needs,” Cruz said.

He has sent a report to the Department of Labor
and Employment in Manila recommending Tesda
develop training programs to enable skilled Filipino
workers to compete in the burgeoning oil, gas and
petrochemical industries.

Recently, Samsung Saudi Arabia, a South Korean
company engaged in the construction of a
multimillion-dollar petrochemical project in Jubail,
approached the Philippine embassy for help in
recruiting qualified Filipino design engineers.

Cruz said Samsung had 40 ready visas in Manila.
These are for design engineers for process,
rotating and stationary equipment; fired heater,
piping, electrical, instrument and control, civil,
structural engineers; modelers and drafters.

Kang Shin-yul, SSA vice-president, said the
company is about to be awarded two major
petrochemical projects in Jubail.

However, Kang said that until now, they have not
found any experienced Filipino design engineers in
the Philippines. “Perhaps the qualified ones are
already working with other companies abroad,” he
said.

“We would like to ask the Philippine government to
help Samsung to hire Filipino design engineers,”
he said.

Park Sung-jin, SSA corporate administrative
manager, said they are hiring 20 fresh engineering
graduates.

The new engineers, once hired, would undergo on-
the-job training in the Jubail for two months before
being sent to South Korea for further training.

There is huge
demand for skilled
workers,
particularly
welders, pipe
fitters, and oil
riggers. But we are
short of these
skilled manpower to
supply their needs

back to top