FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 contributes to national capacity building
Saad Al-Kharji, Career Programs & Services Manager at Qatar Career Development Center, emphasized that the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will contribute to the development of national competencies, as a result of the skills that employees will gain throughout the tournament.
Interview
What sectors are expected to benefit and grow most from hosting the World Cup? Will this projected growth fade after the tournament?
Qatar’s tourism industry is poised to directly benefit from hosting one of the world’s largest sporting events. The World Cup provides an unprecedented opportunity to boost Qatar’s standing as a tourist destination and represents a qualitative leap for its tourism industry. The same dynamics also apply to the hospitality, aviation and service sectors. Other industries, such as development and construction sectors, have also benefited in the leadup to the tournament and are now well equipped to execute future projects while implementing the highest standards of quality and sustainability both in terms of design and material. In a nutshell, the tournament provided an ideal opportunity to further showcase Qatar as the attractive tourism and investment destination it is, and to boost confidence in Qatar’s capabilities to provide the stable and prosperous environment for these investments.
Career Opportunities
How do you evaluate the career opportunities this exceptional event produces to the Arab and Islamic countries?
This is the first time that the Arab region and Islamic world get to host an event of this caliber. There is no doubt that Qatar will gain a great deal of experience from organizing the tournament that has so far attracted thousands of workers from various disciplines to work in the construction of stadiums, facilities and mega infrastructure projects, as well as other engineering and scientific endeavors. The experience and knowledge that these professionals have since accumulated will serve them well when they return home to seek professional opportunities. At the same time, Qatar itself has gained high-level expertise in the field of organizing and managing major events; expertise that can be exported to countries across the region.
Volunteering culture
Nearly 20,000 volunteers are participating in the World Cup. How will this impact their careers?
We view volunteering as one of the best means to develop professional skills. Volunteering opportunities educate the youth on the nature of work and its requirements, empowering them to chart career paths that best align with their aspirations. The importance of volunteering during this top sporting event is best reflected in FIFA’s decision to launch its volunteer program to provide 20,000 people with an opportunity to participate across 45 distinct fields. The program has seen thousands of candidates from more than 170 countries apply, that is since mid-May, when the Volunteer Center opened in Doha.
Volunteers will play a pivotal and active role in fan zones and accommodation sites, as they will take over 30 different roles, and provide operational support across 45 official and unofficial sites, including stadiums, training centers, airports, fan zones, hotels, centers and public transportation hubs. The opportunity to be involved in such diverse responsibilities will definitely make a difference for those who are looking to develop their skills, gain new ones, and overall accumulate expertise will later on add value to the Qatari labor market and economy.
Career development opportunities
All state institutions have devised programs closely related to the World Cup. How will these programs impact their employees?
The impact will vary depending on the institution and the program in place. That said, all programs will serve as a platform for public companies and institutions to develop their employees’ skills by involving them in the tournament.
Many state employees may face major challenges during the World Cup. Will the professional development programs pursued by state institutions make a fundamental difference in this regard?
Certainly. All state institutions have considered the various challenges they may face during the World Cup and made the necessary preparations to overcome any hurdles. Thus, this global event will contribute to the development of national competencies thanks to the knowledge, expertise, and most importantly, the adaptability employees will gain from dealing with these immense challenges. And if, as in any other developed country, there were shortcomings, that is exactly what we expect when we say the event will give us experience. Learning from mistakes, and improving, is the definition of gaining experience.
World Cup revives economy of entire region
Mr. Al-Kharji concluded by noting that the impact of this global event will surpass Qatar and reach its neighbors also. “Although Qatar is benefiting greatly from assuming the primary responsibility of organizing this edition of the World Cup, neighboring countries will also benefit, specifically when it comes to their tourism, travel and hospitality industries, as they will be presented with the opportunity to build human capacity and competencies, and promote their national sectors to the outside world.”
