DOHA: Construction workers get the feel of the digital technology age with a free Information Technology training courtesy of Msheireb Properties, a subsidiary of Qatar Foundation.
Construction staff of the contractors employed in the QR20bn redevelopment of the historical centre of Doha, described as the world's first sustainable downtown regeneration project, will now have the chance to take a six-week course in basic computer skills.
Msheireb Properties IT department will run the training at the workers' living quarters, and the company is planning to expand the initiative that will become a long term full-pledge corporate social responsibility platforms.
The training offers free tuition to as many workers and involving the participation of other businesses and community groups in Qatar to help enrich the course content .
Mohammed Al Marri, Projects Director at Msheireb Properties, said: "Developing IT literacy of our construction workers will improve their job skills and make a difference to their quality of life - helping them to communicate with family and friends back home more easily and to become more independent."
He added training fits in with the larger community strategy of the company, which prioritises knowledge sharing.
The IT training comprises 12 two-hour sessions with two classes held each week in English and Hindi. Msheireb, the world's first sustainable downtown regeneration project, is realising a new architectural language for Qatar and developing an urban community that is sensitive to Qatar's environment, culture and heritage.
Built on a 31-hectare site in the old commercial district of Doha, Msheireb will comprise more than 100 buildings, including 900 residential units, retail and office space, as well as hotels and cultural attractions. Construction at Msheireb began in January 2010.
The mixed-use project will open in five phases from 2012 through 2016 and preserve several existing heritage sites, including houses dating back to the beginning of the last century.
© The Peninsula 2011
