Challenges to Female Engineers’ Employment in the Conservative and Unstable Society of Taiz State, Yemen: A Survey Study

Halah Abdalnour, Laila Abdulkhaliq, Atef M. Ghaleb, Mokhtar Ali Amrani () and Fahd Alduais
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Halah Abdalnour: Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Taiz University, Taiz 6803, Yemen
Laila Abdulkhaliq: Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Taiz University, Taiz 6803, Yemen
Atef M. Ghaleb: Department of Industrial Engineering, College of Engineering, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11533, Saudi Arabia
Mokhtar Ali Amrani: Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, Taiz University, Taiz 6803, Yemen
Fahd Alduais: Department of Accounting, Faculty of Business, Philadelphia University, Amman 19392, Jordan

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-23

Abstract: Typically, the underrepresentation of female engineers in education, employment, and leadership is a worldwide social issue. The present study investigates the critical employment challenges and barriers for female engineers in Yemeni’s unstable, conservative, and poor society. The quantitative methodology was based on two constructed questionnaires targeting female engineering graduates from 2012 to 2021 at Taiz University and executive HR managers. The results indicated that the ongoing civil war, employability attributes, personal attitudes, low wages, the conservative society, and marriage–family beliefs are the most apparent barriers to female engineers’ employment in Yemen. Nearly 40% of female engineers are frustrated with not having a job, almost the same percentage stopped seeking a job, and about two-thirds did not register with government employment offices. This study prompts engineering colleges to frequently update their programs to cope with rapid developments and to include employability courses in their curricula. Furthermore, this study advises female engineers to consult experts before enrolling in engineering programs and to practice training and employability skills immediately after graduation. We want to encourage such social studies in Yemen that are concerned with female issues to underpin their participation in society and to make use of unutilized resources.

Keywords: women engineers; gender discrimination; engineering profession; employability skills; workforce (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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