Mariam becomes 1st female train driver in ME

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Mariam becomes 1st female train driver in ME

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28 year-old Mariam Al Safar has become first UAE's female train driver.

30 January,2012 03:45 pm

As the first female train driver in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Middle East, Mariam Al Safar, a 28 year-old UAE woman, has changed peoples view toward Arabic women with her personal capability.At present, Dubai has the most advanced metro system in the world, with unmanned automatically driving system. However, metros still need manual operation when they are under overhaul or accident happens. Mariam Al Safar is one of the rare UAE locals who are qualified to drive metros, and the only female driver.She is the first local to drive. She was the only train attendant (when) we had a local. She is very hard working. She works early to come to work. She does night shifts, and she is everywhere, said Faith Mutune, Mariam Al Safars colleague.Because of the special history of development, foreign nationality accounts for 80 percent of UAE citizens, so foreigners take the kind of jobs such as operation and management of metros. For this condition, UAE government is carrying out policies to increase locals participation of metro operation and management, and to decrease UAEs dependence on foreign labors and expertise.The government is always pushing women to be leaders of the future, so they are encouraging women to enter different fields, said Mariam Al Safar, Dubai Metro Passenger Services Supervisor.At present, there are over 130 local UAE people working at Dubai metro systems, accounting for 12 percent of all metro management personnel. Local UAE citizens occupy 40 percent of high-level officials and 28 percent of middle-level management ranks.According to the deal made by Dubai Metro Operation and Management Corporation and Dubai Roads and Traffic Administration, local UAE citizens will comprise 50 percent to 60 percent of middle and high rank officials in Dubai metro systems.