Dubai Electricity & Water Authority (DEWA) | DEWA Emirati female engineers raise role of women in UAE energy sector

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) is one of the largest government organisations to employ women in technical positions within the energy sector in Dubai. DEWA’s top management empowers women and provide equal opportunities for all employees in a positive and motivating environment.

“DEWA was one of the first government bodies in Dubai to set up a women’s committee, childcare facilities, flexible working hours, unique training opportunities, educational scholarships and an environment that fully engages women. DEWA has 1,949 women in its workforce, 80.5% of them are Emirati. This includes 671 female engineers and technicians at DEWA. 32% of employees at the Innovation Centre are Emirati female employees, with most of them highly educated in scientific and engineering areas. DEWA’s female employees also volunteer inside the UAE and abroad. In 2019, DEWA’s female employees spent 13,300 volunteering hours in 40 different humanitarian and social initiatives. They also participate in several conservation programmes and awareness projects, especially ones that help women. Our ladies have participated effectively in programmes and initiatives that have achieved cumulative savings of 2.2 terrawatthours (TWh) of electricity and 7.8 billion gallons of water between 2009 and 2019. This is equivalent to saving AED 1.3 billion and reducing 1.136 million tonnes of carbon emissions,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.

Amal Koshak, Vice President of Marketing and Corporate Communications at DEWA, says that top management have empowered women throughout DEWA across managerial and technical positions. “DEWA adopts a fair policy and inclusive environment for both women and men alike. Female employees raised the bar for challenges and proved that their capabilities and skills make a big difference. They are not afraid of doing the same jobs as men at DEWA. In general, women proved they can innovate new prospects in their tasks, work responsibly, and cooperate with their colleagues seriously and professionally. Women may contribute to achieving greater justice and better financial performance when they hold decision-making positions. I would like to highlight that, as an engineer myself, my work offers me many opportunities for career development and gives me a sense of happiness for my contribution to the environment. 80% of the teams working in rationalisation and social responsibility are women and they have achieved amazing results,” said Koshak.

Noor Bushawab, the first female Emirati chemical engineer to work at DEWA, said that DEWA provides trainings in technical and administrative areas, which have strengthened her skills. “I was the first Emirati chemical engineer to accept the challenge of working in a power and water plant. I gradually excelled in my career path until I became the Manager of the Laboratories at G Station and then M Station. Later, I held the position of Director of the Laboratories at Station 2, which includes three stations: K, L, and M. Currently I am Senior Manager of DEWA’s Central Laboratory, which includes two main laboratories, one for water analysis and the other for oil analysis. DEWA provides the appropriate work environment, supports me, follows up on my work, and constantly encourages me. The management also appreciates my efforts and helps me to face challenges,” said Bushawab.

“I joined DEWA in 2014, after graduating from the American University of Sharjah in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. My relationship with DEWA started after I finished high school, as DEWA offered me a scholarship to study electrical engineering due to my very high school scores. I became the first female engineer to join DEWA’s Transmission cable maintenance section, which is something I am proud of. During my first years as a DEWA employee until now, I had unlimited support from my division’s supervisors and from my colleagues. This support gives me a strong ambition to achieve excellence within my field. I have won various awards since I joined DEWA, such as the best newly joined employee in my Transmission Power division, followed by the best newly joined employee in DEWA, and finally I won the second place in Dubai Government Excellence Programme (DEGP), under the same category,” said Maryam Ali Abdulqader.

Engineer Jawaher Al Amir, Manager of Architectural, Civil Projects & Engineering at DEWA; who is at dissertation stage of a PhD in Architecture and Sustainable Built Environment, referred to DEWA’s role as a socially responsible organisation that is keen on empowering women and achieving sustainable development to ensure a brighter future for generations to come. “Over the past 15 years of hard work, I have gained exceptional skills and experience in Planning, Detailing, Designing and Coordinating projects at various levels. Those years have helped me gain strong communication and leadership skills, while focusing on protecting the environment and natural resources. I find DEWA the ideal organisation that encourages innovation and creativity. It focuses on balancing between economic, social, and environmental development in all its operations,” she said.

Engineer Fatma Karim, who holds a MSc. degree in Innovation and Change Management from Hamdan bin Mohammed Smart University (HBMSU), affirmed that DEWA provides all the resources to enrich her work experience. In terms of designation, she holds the post of Senior Engineer – Field Operations, a job scope that requires a great amount of fieldwork. In line with DEWA’s efforts in empowering women, Engineer Fatma was assigned the lead project manager and coordinator for the Smart Distribution Management System (SDMS) project on behalf of her department at DEWA. “DEWA’s motivating environment enables me to balance between work and personal life, which is exhibited in my position as Vice President of the Youth Engineers Council, under the Society of Engineers - UAE. I also participated in many voluntary works that DEWA organised inside and outside the UAE. I have mastered five languages, including sign language, making me an effective contributor in integrating and empowering People of Determination at work and in the society. My efforts and determination have been recognized by my line managers and senior management at DEWA. As a result, I have won several awards, including 1st place in DEWA Internal Awards, in the category of Distinguished New Employee in 2018,” she added.

 “My journey with DEWA started in October 2017. My job focuses on verifying the compliance of buildings design with green building standards and supervising their implementation according to the highest standards of sustainability. This is in addition to providing technical support to the engineering of those buildings and their sustainable design. In my personal life, I focus on two pillars: sustainability and youth. This is to enhance the UAE’s leading position internationally. I have participated in several volunteering initiatives to cover the social aspect of the triple bottom line sustainability. Some of those initiatives were humanitarian and others were environmental and educational.  My career has many excellent milestones. I have always been passionate towards empowering youth. I found DEWA the right place to materialise my passion, as I currently work as chairman of DEWA’s Youth Council. I have always believed that cities which empower its youth will achieve their desired goals. This is to ensure Dubai’s readiness for the next 50 years, in accordance with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,” said Engineer Aysha Mohammad Alremeithi, a master’s degree holder in city sciences, bachelor degree in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering, and President of DEWA’s Youth Council.