ENGIE, the global low-carbon energy company, and long-term energy partner to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, today signed an agreement with the Higher Institute for Water and Power Technologies (HIWPT) to launch a unique training program in the field of reverse osmosis desalination, exclusively for Saudi women.
In the presence of SWPC CEO, Khalid Al Qureshi, and Ghanem Alghanem from the Human Recourse Development Fund, Turki Alshehri, ENGIE’s CEO in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Tariq Al Shamrani, Executive Managing Director at HIWPT – Higher Institute for Water and Power Technologies, signed the agreement in a ceremony organized in the Fairmont, Riyadh.
The agreement sets out the details of the two-year program for 15 Saudi females. Based on the agreement, participants receive theoretical and practical hands-on training in water desalination, power generation, maintenance, and operations. On completing the program, the 15 participants will be hired as full-time ‘Plant Operations Technicians’ at Yanbu 4 or Jubail 3B – ENGIE’s Saudi-based reverse osmosis desalination plants.
Khaled Al Qureshi, Chief Executive Officer of Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) who attended the signing ceremony noted, “As part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 to build a bright, vibrant, and thriving economy, it is essential that our nation’s youth are provided with the right education, training, and opportunities to unlock their talent.
Thamer Al Sharhan, commented on the initiative, “Female empowerment is instrumental to realizing our nation’s ambitions, and we are delighted to launch together with ENGIE a unique program targeted at fresh Saudi women graduates, which will equip them with the skills required for a career in the desalination industry .”
Turki Al Shehri, CEO ENGIE KSA noted, “We are delighted to be launching the first program which targets females exclusively, in the Kingdom with the Higher Institute of Water and Power Technologies (HIWPT),. The program further reinforces our commitment to achieving gender equality, supporting women in STEM careers, and ensuring knowledge transfer to the local population.”
As part of the program, participants must complete an introductory one-year foundational technical core training spanning three trimesters at HIWPT in Rabigh. Throughout this phase, students will learn about scientific concepts and engineering principles. In the second phase, the trainees will enjoy vocational training at ENGIE’s Yanbu 4 and Jubail 3B reverse osmosis desalination plants, where the 15 participants will be hired.
The program is part of ENGIE’s broader commitment to achieving greater gender diversity across its organization and industrial and technological companies. In 2019, ENGIE became a signatory to the UN Women’s Empowerment Principles, designed to promote gender equality in the work environment. In 2020, the Group set a target to employ women in 50% of all its managerial positions by 2030.
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