Oracle in deal to boost Saudi female employment
Riyadh, December 2, 2012
Technology giant Oracle said its Saudi unit has signed an MoU with Glowork, a website dedicated to women empowerment in the Kingdom, to help Saudi women boost their IT skills and get employment.
The duo said objective of the agreement is to recognise the special talent in female Saudi graduates and then help showcasing these skills to major companies in Saudi.
To support the inclusion of women in the labour market, the agreement will draw on Oracle’s leadership program, Oracle Women’s Leadership (OWL), and Glowork’s expertise in maximizing workplace diversity and female empowerment.
Saudi Oracle and Glowork will embark on a long-term project that launches programs, workshops, and seminars that familiarize women with means and skills to secure job positions and overcome obstacles that may arise while searching for a position or after employment.
The first initiative to be spearheaded by the joint venture will be the annual conference, Step Ahead, which addresses issues that manifest prior to employment.
The first annual conference will target local college graduates in Saudi, said Khalid Waleed AlKhudair, the founder of Glowork, after signing the agreement with Abdulrahman Al Thuhaiban, the vice president Oracle ME & Africa.
Through an impactful six-step format, the conference will engage students in topics never previously discussed, including, but not limited to, technological developments and the social impacts confronted both before and during a woman’s entry into the workforce.
“Women deserve the opportunity to showcase their talents, and this agreement will provide the platform for them,” remarked Khalid Alkhudair.
On the new initiative, Abdulrahman said, "We’re so proud to be part of this agreement which reflects Oracle’s support policies in education, employment and social responsibilities in the kingdom."
The debut conference will honour student graduates that achieve high practical excellence through their academic endeavors.
"While previous efforts have been towards the inclusion of a large number of women, the Step Ahead will shift the focus from quantity to the quality and skillset of its attendees," said AlKhudair.
The speakers at the conference will share and discuss their personal stories and experiences with the graduates. The conference will also feature workshops to bring together the graduates with the speakers directly to allow them to effectively discuss any issues or difficulties a woman may face both prior to, and during, her entry into the professional world.
"It will also provide a career exhibition through which companies will present attendees with credible and existing jobs that match their skills and qualifications. The main objective of this exhibition is not simply to familiarize attendees with open positions, but to instantly interview and employ potential candidates, he stated.-TradeArabia News Service
