ICT workers in more demand than supply

The demand for ICT professionals in < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Qatar outweighs local supply, reported a study initiated by the country's telecom regulator. It explained that increasing information and communications technology adoption in Qatar require a workforce specialised in important skills needed to develop, install and service ICT infrastructure, systems and solutions. According to ictQATAR, the information and communications technology workforce in the country could grow annually at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.8% up to 2011. Such growth would mean an additional 2,533 ICT employees in the skilled workforce of Qatar by October 2009, taking the number of ICT employees in the country to 15,971. However, the current global economic crisis could result in firms opting to hire staff more conservatively than during growth years. Furthermore, Qatar's overall population growth already showed signs of decelerating during the second half of 2008, according to Qatar Statistics Authority.

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The shortage of ICT workforce in the local market is not expected to pose a major challenge, told the study. 'Qatar is expected to continue attracting ICT workers due to the country's rise as a regional business hub and its ability to withstand the global economic downturn,' said the study. While workers possessing most ICT skills are available for Qatari employers to recruit, the challenge lies in ensuring optimal use of these skills and enhancing them to ensure increased productivity and operational efficiency. These results are the main drivers for institutional use of ICT.