An Emirati woman whose plea for work was heard on a local radio station by the Sharjah Ruler has just accepted a new job. Umm Omar, a 30-year-old mother of two, called Al Khat Al Mubasher radio programme on Monday to tell of her struggle to find work, after being let go from her job for “insufficient skills”. Her plight was heard by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, who issued a directive to authorities to find her a job that suited her abilities. "I'm very glad and thankful for Sheikh Dr Sultan who always support us and care about us," Umm Omar told <em>The National</em> on Wednesday. “After 14 months of being unemployed I will finally get a job to support my husband and two beautiful daughters, all because of our generous and caring ruler whom we consider as a father to us,” she said. Umm Omar was working as an executive secretary at Sharjah Media City in Shams last year before she was abruptly fired. “I got appointed at Shams in March 2018. It was a very special day, after one year of struggling to find a suitable job,” she said. “I had one daughter back then and my husband and I were excited about the job and the extra money we would be receiving every month.” Once she accepted the job, her husband chose to resume his studies full time. “He didn’t have the opportunity before that due to our financial situation,” she said. Three and a half months into her new position, her contract was terminated for insufficient skills. “I was two months pregnant with my second daughter when they decided to terminate the contract,” said Umm Omar. “I was in shock and didn’t expect that to happen. I was fired despite achieving high scores in the monthly evaluation. “I left the company and filed a complaint at Sharjah directorate of human resources. “The directorate of human resources arranged two job interviews after six months but I didn’t get any offers,” she said. Desperate to find work, Umm Omar called the radio programme to tell her story. “I said everything on mind as I was frustrated and feeling hopeless. Our financial situation was bad and I had to find a job to support my children and husband,” she said. The programme host contacted Shihab Alhammadi, director of Sharjah Media City, who said that Umm Omar had very good skills but did not meet the position’s requirements and there were no other available vacancies to move her within the company. Umm Omar has a degree in Human Resources Management and was hoping to find a job in that field. “I was trying to give my best to the job but I didn’t know a lot about how to be an executive secretary as I studied Human Resources and didn’t get proper training at the company,” she said. On Wednesday, Umm Omar received a phone call from Sharjah directorate of human resources saying an appointment had been scheduled for her at Sharjah Media City to sign her employment contract, as per the directives of Sharjah ruler. “I went to the appointment hoping to get a job at the Human Resources department and I did,” she said. “I can’t express my happiness and my appreciation to our father Sheikh Dr Sultan who stood by me and supported me.”
