Career conscious

Abu Dhabi Women's College students balance home and study

Her dream is to start a business of her own one day. Maybe she could design websites from home? And UAE national Asma Al Otaiba, a third-year e-commerce student at Abu Dhabi Women's College (ADWC) is not about to squash her desires because she got married and became a mother.

Asma Al Otaiba continues to pursue her degree course by enrolling her kids at a nursery near the college and cleverly adjusting her time. "It's hard to manage the timing but I also have family support and that helps," says Asma passionate about getting a college degree.

It also made a world of difference to her when her husband remarked on seeing her working hard with her study materials. And she felt further proud of herself when her civil engineer husband was mystified with her IT related subject.

As families in the UAE are increasingly becoming open to the idea of their girls joining college and the growing opportunities for them in the workplace, the ADWC students too seem to be in step with the changing times and brimming with enthusiasm.

It's not as if these girls get married and their life gets over. Nearly 30 per cent of the 930 students enrolled in colleges this year were married.

It's not uncommon for students to join college at the age of 18 and then take a break in their four- year course to marry and have a family.

Interestingly, the ADWC has a student services department which helps provide is to help the married student tide over an "adjustment period" (if they get married during the academic year).