RIYADH, 11 October 2007 — In a major move to cut reliance on foreign workers, Al-Othaim Markets Co. (OMC) has announced plans to recruit 300 Saudi employees this year within the framework of an agreement signed by OMC and the government-owned Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF). The OMC is also working with the General Organization for Technical Education & Vocational Training to hire trained Saudi manpower. Yousef Mohammed Al-Gafari, OMC’s company’s executive president, said here yesterday Othaim Group has already set up an academy to train Saudi graduates for free.