Promoting the professional development of Saudi female students in the apparel and textiles discipline

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to identify the key skills and knowledge that Saudi college graduates need to succeed in the apparel retail industry (ARI) in Saudi Arabia (SA) today. The participation of women in the Saudi workforce is only 14.4%, with the unemployment rate of Saudi female college graduates at 54%. The Saudi government is now fostering the replacement of foreign salesmen with Saudi women in its apparel retail stores; however, this is being done without properly preparing these young women to succeed in the industry. Qualitative data were collected through interviewing 21 human resource managers and apparel store managers in SA to explore the major objectives of this study. Based on the findings, an equal emphasis in developing students’ hard and soft skills is needed in preparing female students for apparel retail positions in SA. Additionally, social support is valuable in supporting the success of Saudi women in the ARI.