Riyadh: In a significant moment for Saudi Arabia’s step towards women empowerment and initiatives, the first batch of women soldiers from the Armed Forces Women’s Cadre Training Centre graduated on September one.

The Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili graced the graduation ceremony after completion of the 14-week basic individual course that began on May 30.

Addressing the ceremony, Maj. Gen. Adel Al-Balawi, head of the Armed Forces Education and Training Authority, said that the centre aims to provide excellent professional training services for female staff of the Ministry of Defence in the vocational areas that the ministry is in need.

“The centre has an important mission, which is to provide distinguished training programs and curricula and an ideal educational environment in accordance with international quality standards that meet the needs of the armed forces of female cadres. This aims to achieve better performance that helps realize the ministry’s goals in the future,” he said.

Chief Sgt. Suleiman Al-Maliki, acting commander of the Armed Forces Women’s Cadre Training Centre, also spoke on the occasion. Maj. Gen. Hamid Al-Omari, director of the Joint Staff of the Armed Forces, and a number of senior officers of the Armed Forces, also attended the function.

Chief Sgt. Hadi Al-Anezi, assistant commander of the centre, administered the oath to the graduates. This was followed by the announcement of the results and the names of those graduates who performed outstandingly and won prizes.

At the end of the ceremony, Gen. Al-Ruwaili commented in the registry of the centre, in which he thanked the outstanding work of the male and female staff of the centre in accomplishing the centre’s great mission.

It is noteworthy that Saudi Arabia opened its Armed Forces sector to women with allowing both genders to sign up through launching a unified admission portal in February this year.

Military ranks from soldier to sergeant are available for women in the Saudi Arabia Army, Royal Saudi Air Defence, Royal Saudi Navy, Royal Saudi Strategic Missile Force and the Armed Forces Medical Services. Saudi women between the ages of 21 and 40 are allowed to apply for these posts.