DOHA: Offering career opportunities and guidance, the third edition of Qatar Career Fair (QCF) will open on March 14 at Doha Exhibition Centre. The five-day exhibition, provides a great opportunity for students in Qatar to meet with representatives of the ministries, companies, organisations and others involved to talk about job opportunities, the requirements of the Qatari employment market and to receive training in various areas.
"QCF 2010 is at the last stage of preparations with more than 100 organisations including ministries, governmental and non-governmental institutions registered," said Abdullah Al Mansouri, Director, QCF.
"The exhibition opens the door to provide career guidance and advice to students about the areas of work best suited to their qualifications and abilities. It also helps human resource departments to plans on recruitment, training and development in various institutions and create an atmosphere of professional awareness among the students," he told The Peninsula.
The fair aims at education, recruitment, training and development of the youth and the organisations in Qatar. It focuses mainly at the huge market in Qatar. Hence only companies with branches or operations in Qatar are allowed to participate, giving full stress to Qatar economy and society.
"Last year more than 68,000 people visited the fair, majority from our target group of high school and university students, and fresh graduates. We had almost 115 companies participating last year and almost the same number this year," he said.
Even though QFC stresses promoting Qatarisation the event is open to all. "We have had a number of workshops and activities that has been running through out. The students are also equally enthusiastic and they have become more selective in their majors. They know what they want and need guidance. From their participation we have come to know that each student is having a clear idea about the career. Hence even the companies also have clear objectives and programmes for these new recruitments."
A part of the event a reputed international career consultant will speak on career development and public policy.
Mansouri stressed that Qatar Career Fair contributes directly achieving the human development within the Qatar National Vision 2030, through the presentation of learning opportunities and employment, training and development available in various sectors of the country for secondary schools and university students, fresh graduates and the youth in general.
Qatar Foundation, one of the major organisers of the event had recently announced a number of jobs for Qataris mainly the fresh graduates to provide training and development opportunities for them. Qatar foundation had employed some 200 people through the QFC 2009, according to Hassan Al Hammadi, Director of Human Resources at Qatar Foundation.
Qatar petroleum had made significant progress in the recruitment of Qataris with the numbers reaching upto 589 through the QFC 2009. The company had also organised training courses for more than 500 male and female students to inform them of the nature of the work in the energy sector and industry.
"QFC is considered as the first part of providing job opportunities for nationals. It acknowledges them with vacancies of the government various sectors. These are in tune with the Qatar Vision 2030, which aims to produce a committed national labor force which can manage the country's economy and development" said Nasser Al Muhanna from the Ministry of Labour.
© The Peninsula 2010
