The rapid transformation of Qatar and its successful hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup highlight the country’s unwavering commitment to diversifying the economy, stimulating economic growth, and elevating the standard of living for its residents.
As part of Qatar’s National Vision 2030, the country is strategically advancing across various sectors including advanced and industrial manufacturing, tourism, culture, aviation and logistics, green economy, and sports, generating new jobs and upskilling opportunities for the workforce in Qatar.
Qatar's workforce reflects the prominent trends revealed in our Middle East Workforce Hopes and Fears Survey 2023, which drew responses from over 1,500 individuals across KSA, UAE, Egypt, and Qatar. Within Qatar, the survey garnered responses from 260 participants, with a noteworthy representation of millennials comprising 74% of the respondents.
A forward-looking workforce keen to embrace new skills
The survey has indicated a higher job satisfaction in Qatar (83% versus 56% globally), and a workforce aware of the importance of upskilling. 69% of respondents from Qatar recognise the importance of upskilling for their jobs in the next 5 years and 63% express awareness of the requirements of the future job market.
In demand: Green, digital, and soft skills
As Qatar advances its sustainability efforts to green the economy through clean energy production and investments in carbon capture and storage, we observe a surge in employee awareness regarding the significance of green skills. A notable 73% of respondents believed that green skills would be important in shaping their careers, reflecting alignment with the leadership's eco-conscious efforts, compared to 62% in the Middle East and only 39% globally.
Significantly, 80% of employees in Qatar recognise the impact of technological advancements on global and regional labour markets, identifying digital skills as a key priority for their career in the next five years. This points to a young, tech-savvy generation with an appetite to embrace emerging technology.
For Qatar’s workforce, soft skills are equally pivotal, with 89% of respondents also highlighting the importance of critical thinking, collaboration, and leadership skills for their careers over the next five years.
Positivity around Artificial Intelligence (AI) - a key catalyst for growth
The positive sentiment relating to AI across the Middle East workforce also resonates in Qatar, where approximately half of the individuals surveyed shared favourable views: nearly half of the respondents agreed that AI would increase productivity, 41% expressed that it would create opportunities to learn new skills, and 34% believed that it would create new job opportunities.
Outlining the impact of AI on the economy, the Qatar Computing Research Institute at Hamad bin Khalifa University has revealed that AI[1] is projected to account for approximately 8.2% of Qatar's GDP by 2030. This highlights AI as a key catalyst for the country’s economic growth and, therefore, a crucial area for workforce upskilling and development.
Key takeaways
As the country continues to diversify and grow its economy, it is supported by a positive workforce that is keen to embrace new skills.
By driving targeted upskilling programmes in key areas including sustainability and digital transformation, business leaders can reap the benefits of a forward-looking workforce.
[1] Influence of Artificial Intelligence on Qatar's Labor Market, Qatar Computing Research Institute at Hamad bin Khalifa University