Saudi Arabia to hire more women in defence and air transport sectors

Saudi Interior Ministry to take further steps to boost women empowerment in the Kingdom. The General Administration of Central Admission at the Agency for Military Affairs under the Ministry of Interior has called for women recruits in the openings of "first Soldier" (lance corporal) jobs in various Defence Force departments. Applicants can apply through Absher's Employment Platform before February 18.

The placement will be after a training course of the Defence Force at King Fahd Security College, an institution to conduct special training for the candidates of the security forces, in Riyadh. Eligible candidates will be recruited in various security sectors such as the Ministry of Interior, Public Security, Civil Defense, Drug Control, the Security of Facilities, General Directorate of Investigation, Intelligence, Immigration and correction centres, and prisons upon completion of their training period. The Ministry had announced that women would be recruited in the Defence Force in October 2019.

According to Ibrahim Al-Rusaa, spokesman of the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), another advance is that 23 Saudi women were employed in various jobs in the field of air transport until the end of December 2020. Al-Russa said an initiative to create 10,000 jobs for nationals in the air transport sector and private-government institutions are underway.

In December 2020, the Kingdom's national flag carrier Saudia had announced the hiring of 50 Saudi women as flight attendants.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development with the Aviation Authority's collaboration had announced the inclusion of 28 professions in the air transport sector, including the pilot, flight attendant, air traffic controller, supervisor, flight yard coordinator, ground handling services, cargo/luggage supervision, and flight catering.

In recent years, the authorities have implemented several reforms aimed at the all-round upliftment of women, who constitute more than half of the Saudi populace, and ensure social and economic equality. Initial women empowerment programmes involved permitting women to enter stadiums, authorizing drivers' licenses to women and increasing women representatives in the various committees including the Shura Council.