By Zain Anbar and

Zekraa Solami

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

JEDDAH — Saudi women engineering graduates spent years studying for their degrees and waited for the “historic moment” when they would put on the engineer’s helmet and go to the field.

However, the reality on the ground was different. They were forced to accept alternative jobs with meager monthly salaries.

They even had to be content with occupations that had nothing to do with engineering. Many remained unemployed.

Female architect Bayan Hallaq said when she failed to find a job that suited her specialization, she accepted to work as a designer of sites for festivals and theaters on a paltry salary of SR4,000.

Another female architect Afnan Al-Halees accepted part-time work to draw engineering maps for SR3,000.

Her colleague, female architect Sarah Abul Hamayil got a job as an engineer in one of the ministries to develop Jeddah Historical Area.

Engineer Samira Tayea is working as a project manager instead of an architect.

Engineer Israa Al-Khayari is working in her own project and hopes to do her masters in engineering.