- Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi career fair aims to get more women in the workforce
- Date: 8th April 2014
- Summary: RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA (APRIL 6 ,2014) (REUTERS) VIEW OF OF 'ASTEPAHEAD CAREER FAIR 2014' AT FAISLAIAH HOTEL IN RIYADH VARIOUS OF ATTENDING THE FAIR LISTENING TO SPEAKER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) IBRAHIM ALMOAIQQEL DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FUND (HRDF), SAYING: ''In mid-2011, the number of women working in the labour market in the private sector and over 30 years of about 55 000 woman only, today's number exceeded 450 000.'' ATTENDEES APPLAUDING WOMAN CALLING ON DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF RIYADH TO HONOUR THE PARTICIPATING COMPANIES AND INDIVIDUALS IN THE 2014 FAIR PRINCE TURKI BIN ABDULLAH, DEPUTY GOVERNOR OF RIYADH CITY HONOURING ONE OF THE SAUDI WOMEN WOMEN CLAPPING THEIR HANDS PRINCE TURKI HONOURING A WOMAN PRINCE TURKI HONOURING KHALID AL-KHUDAIR, THE FOUNDER OF THE GLOWORK ONLINE EMPLOYMENT AGENCY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) KHALID AL-KHUDAIR, THE FOUNDER OF THE GLOWORK ON-LINE EMPLOYMENT AGENCY AND ORGANIZER OF THE ASTEP AHEAD 2014 FAIR, SAYING: ''Last year we had 46 associations participating with us in the career fair and now we have 80 associations, the number has doubled, this year there are more than 3,000 jobs available to women in the fair, this shows the size of the event, bringing us support from the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources Development Fund in the presence of Deputy Emir of Riyadh which pleased us and his presence explained the importance of this fair.'' VARIOUS OF VISITORS SPEAKING TO SAUDI WOMAN AT THE SAUDI HOLLAND BANK STAND VISITORS WALKING BY POSTER WITH PICTURE OF WOMAN READING IN ENGLISH 'HAVE AN IMPACT ON INNOVATION THAT MATTERS' SAUDI WOMEN STANDING AT THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FUND SECTION AT THE EXHIBITION ENGLISH AND ARABIC NAME AND LOGO OF THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT FUND (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ALIA AL-MUSLET, DIRECTOR OF INTERACTIVE MARKETING AT SAUDI FLY NAS AIRLINES, SAYING: ''I started my business while being very worried about this field (aviation), but I advise any Saudi girl that has the ability for challenge and creativity to start with any chance (job opportunity) she gets at Nasair or any other airline, aviation work is very interesting and it is a great challenge.'' 15 MEN AND WOMEN AT THE FAIR LOGO OF GLOWORK ON WALL SAUDI WOMAN STANDING AT ONE OF THE SECTIONS SHOWING POSTER WITH SAUDI GIRLS WITH ARABIC AND ENGLISH WRITING READING 'BUILD YOUR FUTURE CAREER WITH US.' (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MOHAMMED AL-FITAIHI, GENERAL MANAGER OF LUXURY GOODS TRADING CO, SAYING: ''Now we are proud that we have approximately 85 percent of the Saudi workers are women, and 45 percent of all employees are Saudis, in fact, we have seen the great commitment and discipline, ethics and principles and the ability to fair competition from the ladies against the men and they have proven their merit and thankfully our sales have doubled due to the employment of women.'' VARIOUS OF BIG GLOWORK POSTER OF MANY ADVISES TO WOMEN MEN ENTERING THE FAIR CLOSE OF AN ADVERTISING FOR A WOMAN WITH ENGLISH READING (WE NEED YOUR ENERGY)
- Embargoed: 23rd April 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: General,People
- Reuters ID: LVAC8PRYALJHMRMD8VMNRX311YI8
- Story Text: Saudi women are taking 'AStepAhead' towards acquiring the skills of the labour market.
Wearing their traditional black robe, the abaya, hundreds of young Saudi women attended a careers fair in Riyadh aimed at getting more women into the kingdom's workforce.
The world's largest oil exporter and conservative Islamic kingdom had a female unemployment rate of 45 percent in 2011, according to government figures.
But according to the director general of the Human resources development Fund (HRDF), Ibrahim al-Moaiqel, the number of women in employment in the oil rich country is on the rise.
''In mid-2011, the number of women working in the labour market in the private sector and over 30 years of about 55 000 woman only, today's number exceeded 450 000,'' said al-Moaiqel.
Most of the people attending the fair are women looking for jobs, and according to the organisers the event provides them with a forum to meet prospective employers.
The exhibition was organized by Glowork, an online employment agency specializing in women's career opportunities.
''Last year we had 46 associations participating with us in the career fair and now we have 80 associations, the number has doubled, this year there are more than 3,000 jobs available to women in the fair, this shows the size of the event, bringing us support from the Ministry of Labor and Human Resources Development Fund in the presence of Deputy Emir of Riyadh which pleased us and his presence explained the importance of this fair,'' said founder of Glowork said Khalid Al-Khodair.
Despite the increase in attendees and contributors men still continue to dominate the country's workforce, and this was made even more apparent by most of the keynote speakers being male.
In a country where women are banned from driving and need the permission of a close male relative to work, travel and even have certain kinds of surgery, female employment is another battleground between traditionalists and those who want change.
While the ruling al-Saud family has always had a close relationship with the influential and deeply conservative Wahhabi clerics, the government has cautiously pushed for reforms that give women more rights.
Yet despite the hurdles facing women in Saudi society, women like Alia Al-Muslet are keen to have successful careers and to contribute to their country's economy.
''I started my business while being very worried about this field (aviation), but I advise any Saudi girl that has the ability for challenge and creativity to start with any chance (job opportunity) she gets at Nasair or any other airline, aviation work is very interesting and it is a great challenge,'' said al-Muslet, a director of interactive marketing at local airline Flynas.
Some businesses also said that since hiring women their companies have gone from strength to strength.
''Now we are proud that we have approximately 85 percent of the Saudi workers are women, and 45 percent of all employees are Saudis, in fact, we have seen the great commitment and discipline, ethics and principles and the ability to fair competition from the ladies against the men and they have proven their merit and thankfully our sales have doubled due to the employment of women,'' said Mohammed al-Fitahi, general manager of a luxury goods trading company.
Many young Saudis say they struggle to find jobs in a country where private companies often prefer to employ foreigners, who are cheaper and often more experienced.
However, the government has pushed sweeping labour reforms in recent years aimed at getting more Saudis, particularly women, into work.
Women with university degrees are the biggest group of Saudi job seekers, and their numbers are swelling. Some 500,000 women graduated from university each year over the past decade, compared to around 300,000 men. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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