The National Oil Corporation adopted the employment project for petroleum specialization graduates under Resolution No. (04) of 2023, without a clear plan defining the corporation’s actual needs, vacant positions, or required workforce capabilities.
The number of targeted graduates for the project was also increased from 7,000 graduates to more than 9,000 graduates, without providing justifications or conducting a needs study, reflecting poor planning and the adoption of unconsidered hiring practices.
Follow-ups revealed that the General Administration for Human Resource Development appointed a number of trainees holding certificates unrelated to petroleum activities within the 7,000-trainee program, in clear violation of the corporation’s board of directors’ decision.
Furthermore, the chairman of the corporation’s board of directors, during 2023 and 2024, made direct appointments of individuals lacking scientific qualifications and others unrelated to petroleum specializations, which increased the financial and administrative burdens on the corporation without any clear return.
These practices confirm the need to reconsider employment and placement policies to ensure the adoption of well-studied plans based on competency and need criteria, with a focus on replacing foreign labor with national labor, to ensure the sustainability of the oil sector and achieve institutional stability.
