Carnegie Mellon University looks to meet Qatar’s skills needs in technology job market

As the future of Qatar is focusing more and more on technology and the knowledge-based economy, the need for candidates who have a solid core of technological skills is expected to keep rising. The problem is that the number of qualified graduates in the Gulf Region is not able to keep up with demand.

Enrollment in computer science programs took a downturn globally around 2000/2001 after many jobs were outsourced and compensations decreased. This means that in today’s marketplace there are more jobs than there are qualified candidates to fill them. This is especially true in Doha where organizations such as Qatar Science & Technology Park aim to be a home for technology-based companies from around the world as well as an incubator of start-up enterprise.

“We are forecasting strong demand for information technology skills at QSTP,” says Dr. Eulian Roberts, QSTP managing director. “With international players such as Cisco and Microsoft as well as local companies like iHorizons setting up technology centres at the science park, we are seeing the IT base in Qatar growing strongly.”

Local companies are starting to recognize that they need to develop their own tools, rather than use technology and applications from off of the shelf. Also, multinational companies are beginning to open up in Qatar to be close to their customers. This is all leading to an increase in the number of Computer Science-centered jobs, says Majd Sakr, Ph.D., Computer Science professor and researcher at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar.

“For these companies to be competitive in a fast-moving regional economy, they need highly qualified computer science professionals who are not only skilled with today’s technology but understand the fundamentals and can adapt well to the dynamic and rapidly changing field,” says Sakr.

The School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University is an incubator of original ideas that have spawned some of the most exciting advances in the Computer Science field. With a broad vision of Computer Science and how it solves real-world problems, Carnegie Mellon teaches students not only how to use technology but also how to create and implement it. This, in turn, will lead to a sustainable information-based economy in Qatar, and make Doha the core of the creation of new technology.

Students in the Computer Science program at Carnegie Mellon Qatar take a wide array of classes and also have the option of participating in independent research. By putting their skills to work on local, real-world problems, these students are already making a vital contribution to the economy of Qatar. And this is a contribution that will only increase as the university begins graduating students in May.

“The vision of QSTP is to be a hub for research and its commercialization. Information technology and computer science touches across all of these areas and there are many important opportunities for graduates in these fields,” says Roberts.

Officials at ictQatar, the supreme council for education and computer technology, also acknowledge the increased need for technology-savvy professionals in Doha. 'The National ICT Vision for Qatar 2005 - 2011 is audacious, now it requires committed and talented individuals to help realize it. We hope to draw upon many sources to achieve this including the graduates from local universities,” says Peter Kruger, Director of Strategic Planning for ictQATAR.

'ictQATAR is committed to building a viable local ICT industry to service the vast array of enabling IT projects currently underway in the government, healthcare and education sectors. The lack of locally and internationally trained ICT specialists to meet this demand is a risk we wish to mitigate early on.'

Graduates of the Carnegie Mellon University School of Computer Science are sought after globally because of their education, training, skills and versatility, and the marketplace in Doha and the Gulf Region won’t be any different.

“This field is ideal for people who enjoy solving problems, are interested in artificial intelligence and robotics, enjoy seeking out better ways to do things and want to help people improve their lives through technology,” say Sakr. “It’s also for people who want to play a pivotal role in the future development of Doha, Qatar and the entire Gulf Region.