“You never know what work will suit you best until you go out and try, so always use the opportunities you are offered to learn more.”

Haneen Rafe ‘Moh’d Zayed, 24 years old, who recently started working as a Data Analyst in the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship.

During 2020, right as the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Haneen obtained her bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Al Hussein Technical University (HTU).

Life was no longer the same since the pandemic began and Haneen felt lost, but it did not stop her passion towards computer engineering and her desire to work in her field of study. So, she gave her best and applied to many different opportunities.

Unfortunately, the pandemic served as an additional barrier to finding a stable job opportunity. Some positions were not suitable for her due to late and long working hours, and others required skills she had not yet acquired.

Haneen was beginning to feel frustrated when one day, as she was browsing through Facebook, she came across Education for Employment-Jordan’s  (EFE) post for the UN Women Data Analysis training program, funded by the European Union Trust Fund ‘Madad’. She was instantly intrigued and wanted to learn more about the program, as it had been a part of her major that was not fully explored during her undergraduate years. Haneen applied and was accepted after sitting for an interview.

During the training, Haneen gained knowledge and skills in the Data Analysis field in a short time. She learned how to use a number of tools such as Procedural Language extension to Structured Query Language (PL/SQL), Python, and Tableau. More importantly, she felt she had finally found a suitable market for her to actively seek jobs.

All her hard work and the skills she practiced during the training was soon paid off soon, as it helped her to get a job as a Data Analyst in the Ministry of Digital Economy and Entrepreneurship, where she employs the skills acquired from the training program to her work, specifically by using the previously mentioned tools and technical languages to analyze data.

“The training was beneficial as the practical application which helped solidify the information in my mind. The topics covered such as life skills, gender-based violence and online freelancing were very enlightening. The Data Analytics skills we learned matched the needs of the labor market. We also practiced with the latest tools, which I now use in my job.” Haneen said.

“This job opportunity allows me to generate a steady income and be able to support myself and family. I am also glad that I got a job in my field of study, which will allow me to further explore and grow my career in the future.” She added.

Haneen advises other youths that, “You never know what work will suit you best until you go out and try, so always use the opportunities you are offered to learn more.”