11 women in leadership positions

The Education Ministry intends to appoint highly qualified Saudi women in 11 leadership positions this year, an informed source said.
The ministry has already invited applications from qualified candidates to fill positions such as educational supervisor and directors of educational training, private and foreign education, and special education.
Other important positions to be filled by women are directors of Islamic awareness program, educational guidance, student activities, adult education, gifted students, kindergarten, and admission and examination department.
Applicants should possess at least a bachelor’s degree with experience of not less than three years in supervising positions. They should also have one-year experience handling positions such as assistant director, head of department and director of education office.
The source confirmed the ministry’s move to appointment women to manage all departments related to girls’ education. The ministry appointed recently Najla Al-Shaman director of education in Tabuk.
In a related development, the Labor Ministry, Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC), and Human Resource Development Fund intend to establish model networks for the employment of women graduated from technical colleges and institutes.
Ali Al-Ghafees, governor of TVTC, said other government departments and agencies would also join the program to create more job opportunities for women.
“Many young women are interested to open small and medium enterprises. Moreover, Saudi businesswomen get in touch with colleges to get women employees required by them. These developments augur well for women graduates,” Al-Ghafees said.
He said TVTC would cooperate with the institute of business pioneers to help women open their private enterprises.
He underscored Saudi women’s growing role in productive sectors with the establishment of women-only industries. “Our women have got adequate experience and training to enter the job market,” he added.
Munira Al-Aloula, deputy governor of TVTC, said the decision to change the name of higher technical institute for girls to Technical College for Girls would boost technical training of girls in the country. She also disclosed plans to accommodate more girls in technical colleges during this academic year. Saudi Arabia has the lowest national female labor participation rates of the region — at only 15 percent of its active workforce, compared to Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain. About one quarter of those are unemployed, but highly qualified, according to a report issued by consultancy group Booz & Co.
But the number of women entering the workforce, eager to become financially independent from their families, has nearly tripled over the past 10 years. Saudi female business women are generally better educated than male workers — only 1 percent of business women have no formal education, in contrast to 14.5 percent of the Saudi workforce according to the Monitor Group and the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry — and are often regarded as more productive.