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Engineering Technology Training in Saudi Arabia: Quality Training Challenges and Labor Market Needs Abstract:

Biomedical engineering developed in health care facilities around the world over the last four decades of the twentieth century. There was widespread recognition in professional and government circles of the technological sudden increase that had affected society in general and health care in particular.

Biomedical engineering applied with an early large emphasis on the maintenance, electrical safety, and electronics aspects of medical equipment. This encouraged the consideration of broader safety aspects in health care. Biomedical Engineering Professionals who divides into two main categories: the Clinical Engineers (CE) or Biomedical Engineers and the Biomedical Engineering (Equipment) Technicians (BMET) required a special training to be qualified to be very trusted technicians.

In Saudi Arabia, as a developed country, the Government spends billions dollars annually expenditure on the health sector. The Ministry of Health has finalized plans to establish new hospitals and renovate and expand 324 existing hospitals and 1750 primary health care centers. Long time ago, the health care facilities and medical companies were counting on the overseas professionals in the field of biomedical equipment marketing, installation, training, and maintenance. As far as twenty years ago, there were no Saudi professionals in the field of biomedical engineering/technology. Biomedical engineering introduced as a new field of study at King Abdul Aziz University ( KAAU), Jeddah in 1982, and King Saud University (KSU); Riyadh started in 1986.

The General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training (GOTEVOT) , who founded in 1980 , set of laws require that the Organization should execute all programs related to technical education in various fields like industry, agriculture and commerce as well as all related to vocational training like in-service training in addition to conducting researchers and studies for upgrading national manpower performance and productivity efficiency.

In advance to open the new major, GOTEVOT had established the National Occupational Skill Standards for medical instrumentation (Biomedical) technician and developing a curriculum called " Developing A CurriculUM- DACUM” with participating of Biomedical technicians who were working in local biomedical engineering departments in local hospitals to define the job duties and the skills needed for these duties and Biomedical Technology Program started last year,2006, under Electronics technology department There are two main problems that biomedical engineering departments in Saudi Arabia face. First, there is a lack of number of Biomedical Engineers and Biomedical Technicians. Second, the selection of medical equipments, their installation, safe operation, and maintenance which require extra care because of their high cost, and delicate and specialized nature. Currently, these functions are handled by contractors, local vendors, international companies, and/or left to unqualified hands

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Albadr, H. (2007, June), Engineering Technology Training In Saudi Arabia: Quality Training Challenges And Labor Market Needs Paper presented at 2007 Annual Conference & Exposition, Honolulu, Hawaii. 10.18260/1-2--2782