JEDDAH, 26 April 2006 — According to the dean of the Dar Al-Hekma College, more than ever before women are looking to try something new: employment.
“There is a noticeable growth in women job seekers,” said Suhair Al-Qurashi, dean of the Jeddah-based women’s college. “Now that the Kingdom has joined the World Trade Organization, the challenges are stronger. There is more of a need now for women to have new jobs different from what has been afforded them,” the dean added, pointing out that most of the 4.9 percent of employed Saudi women hold jobs in the government sector.
But at the first career fair for women that ended on Monday, more than 500 women graduates met with representatives of more than 40 companies in the fields of interior design, advertising, commercial establishments, financial services and hospitals.
Among the companies present were Betterhomes, Full Stop Advertising and Riyad Bank.
“Twenty percent of the employees in Betterhomes are women,” said a company representative. “Our company hires women ... in the departments of sales, leasing, property management and interior design.”
The job fair was co-sponsored by the Khadija bint Khuwailed Center at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“Women have proven their ability to be mothers and working women,” said Nashwa Taher, one of the two women elected to the JCCI board of directors last year in a highly publicized first for Saudi women.
Businessmen and businesswomen including Taher presented lectures during the second day of event to share their experience with the new crop of educated Saudi women seeking employment.
The job fair included workshops on writing résumés, passing entry exams, positive work ethics and giving successful job interviews.
Dar Al-Hekma College orients its curricula to match the needs of both the local and international job market. The college has established a career center in order to train its graduates and connect them with the commercial world.
