JEDDAH, 6 November 2007 — Today is the last day of the three-day women’s employment campaign that is taking place at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI).
Shareefa, 26, a BS chemistry graduate, has been unable to find a job since graduating in 2004. Her brother participated in the men’s five-day employment campaign that took place last week.
However, Shareefa, who was accompanied by her sister, left the women’s campaign sad. “They did not take our applications because we live in Makkah and not in Jeddah. This is in spite of the fact that I was willing to come to Jeddah every day or even move here with my sister,” said Shareefa.
“There are no jobs in Makkah and there aren’t any employment campaigns there. I was so happy to know about this campaign and came all the way from Makkah to Jeddah for this. All this effort was for nothing. I will go back to Makkah now,” she added.
Some people, who have registered their names with employment agencies, already have their CVs at the JCCI. Amjaad is one such person. She received a call from an employment agency telling her about the campaign. Amjaad graduated this year from the King Abdul Aziz University with a BA in accounting. There are vacancies for jobs in her field.
As female applicants enter the JCCI venue, they register their names and hand their CVs to attendants. They are then handed a flyer listing the names of private companies participating in the campaign and the type and number of jobs on offer.
Most of the women Arab News met with were holders of bachelor degrees. And in spite of their education they had not secured jobs. One woman, who had graduated seven years ago with a BA in geography from the College of Education, is still looking for a job. Her husband earns SR2,000 a month to support them and their three children.
Mona works for a transportation company. “I looked for jobs everywhere. My circumstances are difficult and even if you get married, you marry someone who is either jobless or who has a low income,” she said, adding that the most important thing for her is to have a job that would secure her future and ensure a decent income for her family.
