Fatima Muhammad
JEDDAH — About 200 female Saudi engineers recently gathered at an event dubbed 'Women Engineers Suhoor' to discuss the obstacles facing them and exchange their thoughts and experiences in the domain.
Areej Ghandour, a member of the engineers committee, stressed that all engineers in Saudi should collaborate and get connected to develop the country together. According to her there is no more demand on engineers particularly those who are Saudi because companies are obliged to meet a Saudization quota.
Ghandour noted that the Kingdom has been built by non-Saudi hands and it is time to, "build our own country." She told young female engineers, "you have to fight for it to get it. We shall stay together, connected to become stronger."
According to her engineers should participate in projects that provide community service because it is part of their responsibility toward the society. "We are working on project for district centers, we have finalized the design but unfortunately only a few are willing to contribute, the answer we always get from male engineers is: What is in it for me?"
She told fresh graduates that they should become members of the engineers committee and lobby for their voices to be heard. "There were at times some discrimination and there are hard times, but women have proved that they are present, patient and they are going nowhere! The current board is supportive and you should take that advantage."
She also told young engineers that those who have become successful describe the engineers commission as useless. "To all those saying so, come and participate, your voice is a reflection of your thought, if you don't give sometime to your country nothing will change. We are here to support you, it is your time!"
Another engineer Deemah Al-Jihany noted that when she wanted to study engineering many told her that she will find a zero job opportunity yet she went for it. It took her long after she studied abroad to find a job, this time she has been told that she is overqualified, a few other companies told her that they do not have special female engineering sections. Deemah is now a lecturer at King Abdulaziz University and she assists future female engineers in the industrial engineering department. Her advice to fresh graduates is to grab any job opportunity and be determined so they can develop their skills.
The event, at the Saudi Council of Engineers in Jeddah, is the initiative organized by the Saudi female engineers committee. The goal is to increase awareness among female engineers about their rights and responsibilities, for them to know more about the council and the committee, register their names and get the accreditation, enhance the communication and collaboration between female engineers and name female members as ambassadors of the committee at various universities.
Sara Al-Harthi a member of the council and supervisor of the Western Region said a survey revealed that there were two main challenges before female engineers: The society is not yet accepting nor giving them the trust they deserve. The other challenge is the absence of job opportunities. "we aim at removing obstacles and provide a space for engineers to show their capabilities."
