JEDDAH, 6 October 2004 — It began as a training center for women focusing only on English and computer skills. It is now the Syeda Khadija bint Khuwailid Center and has expanded its activities. It no longer competes with the private sector in English and computer training. What it focuses on now is specialized training.
“Many of the job-seekers don’t have job skills,” said Samia Filimban, director of the Training Unit. The unit is developing training programs for jobs such as sales representatives, marketing and basic administrative skills.
“Our responsibility is to see what the private sector requires and meet its needs. We are a support system for the private sector,” Filimban explained.
One of the problems faced is the lack of certified trainers which means that trainers will have to be trained. “We work closely with the human resources companies and try to cater our programs to the types of jobs available for women,” she said.
A recent successful joint effort was training volunteers for the second Working Women’s Exhibition. Though it was volunteer work, the unit received 100 applicants, chose 45 and trained them for five days. The unit is considering establishing a volunteer center; it already has a database for event management.
The Syeda Khadija bint Khuwailid Center at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce & Industry is a newly established strategy and planning source to support and enable businesswomen to be part of the Kingdom’s economic development.
Another important part of the center is the Women Empowerment Programs and Research Unit. Based on a preliminary survey of around 70 women, the biggest obstacle they face in starting business and expanding it is lack of information and lack of networking opportunities.
“This is what we will provide them with. We will be the link and the source of information,” said Fatin Bundagji, director of the Empowerment Unit.
Bundagji is considering publishing a quarterly newsletter for home-based businesses which features support ideas, advertisements, training programs and a think-tank. The unit will not provide funds or financial aid but they can coordinate with the sectors that do give loans.
“We will screen applicants and develop some pilot projects for them,” said Bundagji. “Ultimately, my dream is to develop a government policy that supports this sector and be included in the statistics,” she said.
The third unit in the center is the Specialized Business Support Unit. “We provide employment opportunities and information for women seeking jobs,” said Nadeen Rassam, director of the unit. The unit provides information for businesswomen on procedures, forms, liaising and solving problems.
“We will organize events for businesswomen in similar fields to network together and share experiences,” said Rassam. In addition, they will also provide businesswomen with private consultation on feasibility studies, market surveys, and steps for taking loans from banks or companies.
As for job-seekers, there is the Joint Organization of the JCCI, the Human Resources Development Fund and General Organization for Technical Education and Vocational Training to train, employ and pay a percentage of the salary for two years to new employees as a collaboration between the private and public sectors. Among the jobs in demand by the private sector are secretaries, accountants, marketers and sales representatives.
“Before, girls who graduated with an accounting degree could not find jobs but now there is a demand for them by companies who want to replace foreigners,” said Rassam. There is still, however, reluctance by women to be marketers or sales representative because the salary is low and depends on commissions; the work is also very tiring and there is the additional problem of transportation.
Another field that has seen increased demands for women is IT. “Sometimes the company asks for girls to have basic computer skills and English and offers to train them.”
Due perhaps to Saudization in shops that sell women’s items, there is also now a demand for sales person. “There are of course more job applicants than there are jobs, but the problem is that many of the applicants, whether high school or university graduates, lack experience and required skills. That is why we always recommend that girls develop their skills, do volunteer work and anything that will add to their usually empty resumes,” said Rassam.
Nevertheless, there are jobs for these women but they are often less than the women expect. For example, a major food company asked for 100 women to work the machines in its kitchen; there were many applicants and many were employed.
“We have a database with job information and applicants, and we try to coordinate and find what is suitable,” said Rassam.
The unit follows up on women for a month after being employed. If the unit is working with a business for the first time, a team visits the place to see if it meets the requirements for employing women.
