Engineering in Saudi

- Hashim Alsharif


In the past couple of weeks, I’ve been trying to understand why engineering isn’t the route for many young talented Saudis. To dig deeper into this issue, I decided to meet with engineers who transitioned into managerial roles. I put all the engineering managers I could find on LinkedIn into a spreadsheet, cold messaged them, and asked if they’d be up for grabbing coffee. It turned out to be one of the best ways to get a broader perspective on the problem.

Why Engineering?

Engineering is the core of any tech company. No matter how strong your business or product team is, you still need talented engineers to build the ship that your PMs will steer and your business team will sell. Yet, especially in countries where tech is still considered an emerging industry, like Saudi Arabia, engineering often doesn't get the spotlight it deserves.

Interestingly, many engineers, especially those with a traditional computer science background, start their careers in engineering but later shift toward roles like Product, Design, or even Marketing. On the other hand, those who stay in engineering often move into managerial roles, where they focus more on managing people than doing hands-on technical work.

The Thought Process

This raises an important question: why aren’t more young people pursuing engineering, or why do they leave it behind for other fields?

One reason engineering can seem less appealing is the perception that it's more labor than critical thinking. People think engineers just follow requirements without questioning them, but that’s far from the truth. Being an engineer is about challenging ideas, thinking critically, and problem-solving—it’s not just about writing code. There’s a big difference between being an engineer and being a coder. In fact, tools like ChatGPT (or cursor.sh) are probably better coders than most people. What sets engineers apart is their ability to think critically and make decisions.

Often, Product Managers are seen as the heroes who solve all the problems, but in reality, engineering is the main driver of solutions. I believe students should be more encouraged to pursue engineering rather than aiming to become PMs from the start. We need more talented engineers in the industry.

Talented Engineers

What makes a talented engineer? It’s someone who can critically challenge ideas and knows how to build and scale software. But being a good engineer requires a combination of both hard and soft skills—it's not enough to just be technically strong. Good communication is key. If you're a talented engineer who wants to build things at scale, consider joining Tamara today.

Conclusion

Engineering plays a vital role in tech companies, yet it often goes unrecognized in emerging tech industries. The shift of engineers toward other roles reflects the need for a change in how engineering is viewed. It's not just about building things—it's about thinking, solving problems, and making decisions. Encouraging more young people to pursue engineering and stick with it can help foster stronger tech ecosystems. In the end, the future of tech depends on the talented engineers who build the foundation for innovation.

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© 2024 Hashim Alsharif