Last Tuesday's ceremony for the first group of Saudi women to graduate in fashion design and cosmetics from Jeddah's High Technical Institute for Girls has been described as a “fine incentive for Saudi girls to work towards achieving excellence in the service of their country”. Ali Al-Ghufais, Governor of the Technical and Vocational Training Corporation (TVTC), made the remark as he thanked the wife of the Emir of Makkah for her patronage of the ceremony which saw the graduation of 128 trainees. Munira Al-Aloula, Vice Governor of TVTC for Girls, said the achievement was “due to King Abdullah's concern for women and for opening doors for them to work in honorable professions”. “We have started with four majors, but the plan is to reach 23 in the future,” Al-Aloula said of the TVTC. “Before opening high technical institutes for girls a survey of the labor market was reviewed, along with other surveys by the Ministry of Labor and the chambers of commerce on jobs that could be made available for Saudi girls.” “Now we have graduates in technical support, which involves maintenance of computers and electronics, and ten of them found employment straight away at King Saud University,” she said. Al-Aloula added that 33 graduates are due to study bachelor degrees abroad and are expected to work as institute instructors upon their return. “Graduates in fashion design will go to New Zealand, and graduates in Technical Support and Accounting will go to Britain or Canada,” she said. Al-Aloula noted that the only “academically, officially qualified beauticians” in the Arab world were in Jordan. “Saudi Arabia will now be the second in that regard,” she said.
