Once, vocational and technical education was considered a second-best choice in Qatar. However, that view is changing.
Increasing numbers of vocational training facilities in Qatar are now available from secondary school to degree level, and the government is working to expand the sectors in which Qataris are employed.
In 1998, Qatar Independent Technical School was established, the only vocational high school in the country. The school seeks to provide students with opportunities to enrol in science or engineering courses at Qatar University, or to work for the government or industry. The curriculum caters for the needs of the local labour market, and offers a variety of courses in mechanical and electrical engineering, industrial processing, business administration and information technology.
The expansion of the Independent Technical School also indicates a move to train up young Qatari men to enter technical blue collar fields. However, this is a slow process, and many Qataris see employment more as the result of civic duty than economic necessity. At the same time, promotion and advancement within the work place are more likely to be based on ability than was previously the case. In turn, this raises the requirements for Qataris to possess specific skills in order to further their careers.
A variety of institutions deliver vocational education and training, see Key bodies.
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