Saudi women are now the target of a Kingdom-wide information technology (IT) literacy campaign that could help them find jobs. The campaign has been launched by International Computer Driving License (ICDL), an internationally-recognized non-profit organization based in Dublin, Ireland. Dr. Sulaiman Al-Dhalaan, Consultant, ICDL Saudi Arabia said that 120 out of 300 ICDL accredited training centers in Saudi Arabia now offer special training programs for Saudi women. ICDL has begun recruiting female employees across the Kingdom and is now focusing on adding more women from universities to the certification program, he said. “The move is in line with the Saudi government's efforts to enhance the IT competency of Saudi nationals, particularly women, who according to recent studies, account for the vast majority of an estimated 100 million IT illiterate people in the region,” he said. The ICDL concept is a global computer literacy initiative developed to raise the level of knowledge about IT and increase the level of competence in using personal computers and common computer applications. The benefits of ICDL for the employer include increased productivity, reduced costs, better use of IT resources, a better return on IT investments and the establishment of a tangible benchmark for computer skills. Candidates undergoing ICDL programs will have increased skill levels in essential IT and computer use. They will have internationally recognized qualifications that can help to improve their job prospects. He said that Saudi Arabia has a growing number of computer users. In 2007 alone, the number of Internet users in Saudi grew by 36.2 percent. He added that a significant achievement has been made in this respect with educational organizations such as the Princess Noura Bint Abdulrahman University, the first university for women in Saudi Arabia. The university is adopting the ICDL standard. Similarly, negotiations are underway with other educational entities to enroll female students for computer skills training, he said. For instance, King Saud University, Taibah University and Al-Baha University have large numbers of women students enrolled in the computer training program to obtain the certificate. “I can confidently say that there are around seven major universities across the Kingdom today that offer the ICDL program for both female and male students,” he said. “Our ultimate aim is to expand the coverage of our program to include Saudi women across all regions of the country. We are confident that this initiative will help to improve the IT skills of women and enable them to easily integrate into the local job market,” said Dr. Al-Dhalaan. To achieve an ICDL, the candidate must successfully pass one theoretical and six practical tests. When a candidate registers to start the ICDL certification process he or she receives a skills card on which progress through the seven tests is recorded. When all seven modules are completed the candidate receives the certification.
