BEEAH Group is the ‘perfect fit’ for female talent

A series of both public and private sector initiatives across the UAE have seen women playing an increasingly larger and stronger role in business, government, and STEM fields – starting from when they enter school.

According to the latest statistics, 77 percent of Emirati women enrol in higher education after secondary school. Women also make up 70 percent of all university graduates in the UAE. In addition, 56 percent of UAE government university graduates in science, technology, engineering and mathematics are women, while 44.5 percent of engineering undergraduates in the country are female – one of the highest globally.

With the right network and a supportive ecosystem in place, there is no industry today that is off limits to women, says Nouf Wazir, senior engineer at BEEAH Energy, she noted that thanks to the vision of the wise leaders of the UAE, Emirati women like herself have not only been pursuing impactful careers, but are also entering industries typically regarded as male-dominated in increasingly large numbers.

“We see Emirati women as engineers, fighter pilots, athletes, mechanics, and so much more,” she said. “It is a source of great pride for us to see Emirati women that have achieved greatness, while also being mothers, daughters, and important members of society. Their success has shaped the future of the nation and paved the way for the next generation.”

Wazir believes that BEEAH Group is the perfect choice for young female graduates looking for a platform to start their careers. Since its establishment in 2007, BEEAH Group has diversified its business from waste management and recycling into new industries such as clean energy, environmental consulting, technology, education, and green, autonomous mobility. Today, the group is a sustainability pioneer driven by forward thinkers that identify future critical sectors.

According to Wazir, BEEAH Group has several programmes in place to empower women. One of these is the BEEAH Ambassador Programme, which celebrates and recognises young talent across the Group’s businesses. As one of the ambassadors for BEEAH Energy, Wazir says that she has witnessed first-hand how such opportunities for young women have driven change and created a legacy of impact.

“We offer hands-on training, as well as the chance to work on challenging but pioneering initiatives both locally and regionally,” she said. “Also, there is a large body of extremely talented Emirati women that are ready to mentor and collaborate with you.”

Looking back to her school days, Wazir recalls how she had always had an interest in science. “As far back as I can remember, my earliest dream was to be a scientist, despite there being several other more ‘traditional’ choices in terms of career. My background is in renewable energy and industrial engineering. Learning about these industries sparked my passion, and I became fascinated with the idea of having a world where we can create energy using waste.”

Turning waste into energy is not a novel concept, with several countries around the world looking into the process as a more sustainable way of powering cities while also tackling the challenge of unrecyclable waste. In a first for the region, BEEAH Energy inaugurated the Sharjah Waste-to-Energy facility, through its Emirates Waste to Energy joint venture with Masdar. Wazir described collaborating with her colleagues at BEEAH Energy and Masdar on the project as “the opportunity of a lifetime.”

“I believe our pioneering work will pave the way for several similar projects across the region,” she stated. “It is heartening to have played a role in a project that takes upwards of 300,000 tonnes of unrecyclable waste a year in Sharjah and uses it to produce 30-megawatt of power.”

Wazir says that a lot of the work that went into this amazing achievement would not have been possible without the support of all the exceptional women that she has worked with at BEEAH Group. “The majority of us at BEEAH Energy are women and many are engineers! A few years ago, this would have been very rare in the industry. Our team of women are out on the field, working hands-on to solve engineering challenges. It is really inspiring to collaborate with them.”

For all the young women entering the corporate world, Wazir has a few words of advice. “My advice is to have the right mindset about failure. Understand that true growth comes from making mistakes and learning from them. Also, remember that time, effort, and passion will help you grow and overcome challenges.”