Enhancing women’s employability in STEM through the Nokia Internship Programme in Saudi Arabia

Since 2022, UN Women Regional Office for the Arab States and Nokia has joined forces to increase women’s access to, and leadership in, the global digital space. In Saudi Arabia, this collaboration, covering eight countries in 2024 including Saudi Arabia, represents a new model of public-private partnership to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment, with both parties contributing their specialist technical expertise to co-create effective and sustainable interventions.

In Saudi Arabia, where women are graduating in STEM subjects at an increasing rate, there is still a significant gap in their employment in the tech field. The partnership aims to address this gap through collaboration on initiatives such as the Nokia internship programme, which builds the capacities of women students and graduates to improve their employability in the tech sector. This initiative aligns with both the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s National Transformation Programme (NTP), which emphasizes women’s economic empowerment.

This year, Nokia in Saudi Arabia convened the third annual summer internship programme, with the support of UN Women. Raghad Alskyhan was one of 22 young women who participated in the 2024 edition of the internship at Nokia.

“What interests me most about being in the STEM field is the opportunity to empower women and demonstrate our potential to make a significant impact on the world. By inspiring women to pursue careers in STEM, we can enhance the field and challenge the notion that gender differences should limit professional opportunities. It is essential to show that women are just as qualified as men for any career, fostering a more inclusive and equitable work environment.”

“I was fortunate to participate in the Nokia training, as it helped clarify my vision of the industry and gave me a profound understanding of this field.” Says Raghad. She describes the internship as an opportunity to connect with a diverse group of professionals. She also highlights a session organized by UN Women, which focused on women’s empowerment in technology. Raghad encourages other women seeking opportunities in this field to join the training and expand their knowledge of the telecommunication industry.

Hossam ElSayed, coordinator of the Nokia internship programme in Saudi Arabia, noted that “for the third year in a row, Nokia completed another very successful summer internship programme. Growing from six interns in 2022 to 22 interns in 2024, the eight-week programme was attended by university students from five high-ranking tertiary institutions in KSA: Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, King Saud University, Mustaqbal University, Shaqra University, and Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University. Nokia is keen to continue this success story and fulfill its sustainability commitments to Saudi Arabia”.

Raghad acknowledges the challenges women encounter when pursuing a career in STEM. Fear of failure and lack of support, particularly for those who are the first in their families to take this path, are considered as significant barriers. It is often asserted that women are unsuited to STEM fields. However, Raghad believes that these concerns can be overcome, as they are based on outdated misconceptions. She points to the growing number of job opening opportunities and stresses the important of raising awareness about the available opportunities. “My advice to all Saudi women is to pursue their dreams without fear of gender differences in the workplace or concerns about a lack of support in this field. It is essential for women to chase their aspirations and contribute to the development of our country.”