Doha: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) launched its Overseas Internship Program for Qatari employees who wish to join the Ministry and other government entities in ICT sectors.
This program aims to develop the skills of the workforce and enhance their competencies to lead the digital transformation in Qatar during significant growth in the technology sector, in line with the Third National Development Strategy (NDS3), and the Digital Agenda 2030 (DA2030).
The Overseas Internship Program extends from two months to a year, depending on the program offered by MCIT’s international partners, such as Google, Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, and SAP. The program is based on hosting participants at the headquarters of these global companies with the aim of enhancing their competencies in emerging technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity by integrating them into work at these headquarters to gain international experience. This enables them to apply the
se practices and acquired expertise in Qatari government institutions and contribute to achieving Qatar’s national vision and digital agenda.
The program includes three main stages. The first stage is the preparation phase, which involves defining the selection criteria in cooperation with the Civil Services and Government Development Bureau, and then selecting the first cohort of participants. The second stage is the implementation phase, which includes launching the pilot version of the program for MCIT’s employees, starting the program for the first cohort by integrating them into the work locations of the global partners, monitoring their performance, and addressing any challenges they may face. This stage also involves the participants returning to the ministry to begin applying the skills and experiences they have acquired and sharing them with their colleagues.
The third stage is the evaluation phase, which includes assessing the pilot version of the program and refining it to improve future versions
. It involves analyzing feedback from global partners, coordinating with the Civil Services and Government Development Bureau to launch and generalize the full version of the program across various government institutions, and holding knowledge transfer sessions with different ministries. Additionally, this stage focuses on highlighting the program and its contributions to NDS3 and DA2030.
Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Director of Human Resources Department at MCIT, said: “We are harnessing our efforts to accelerate the digital transformation journey in Qatar by providing the opportunity for the Ministry and the government sector employees to acquire best global practices through working at the premises of our international partners. This program aims to transfer those experiences and apply them in our governmental institutions, contributing to the development of current practices and achieving Qatar’s national vision (QNV2030) and DA2023. Our partnership with leading global companies enhances Qatar’s po
sition as a pioneering center in the field of technology. By refining the skills of the program participants and equipping them with innovative and diverse tools that align with the latest global practices, we are fostering an environment of innovation in our governmental institutions”.
MCIT, the owner of the program, oversees it in cooperation with specialists from various government agencies and global companies. Their roles include designing the program in collaboration with relevant authorities, establishing eligibility criteria and the selection process to ensure the inclusion of the best candidates. Additionally, they manage relations with relevant government institutions and oversee initiatives and the experiences of the members to ensure alignment with the objectives of the program and DA2030. Furthermore, they will be responsible for the continuous evaluation and development of the program.
On the other hand, the Civil Services and Government Development Bureau is responsible for overseeing ministr
ies’ participation in the program and managing enrollment. Ministries are tasked with nominating potential participants from their employees in coordination with MCIT. They also oversee and support them during and after enrollment to ensure the application of the skills they acquire in their workplaces. Additionally, global partners contribute to candidate selection in collaboration with MCIT. They develop practical training programs for participants and issue reports evaluating them based on performance indicators determined by MCIT.
It’s worth mentioning that the Overseas Internship Program offers unique advantages that make it important. These include strategic partnerships with leading pioneers in the digital transformation field. The program also provides specialized training paths focusing on participants competencies, ensuring they acquire valuable and specific skills and insights. Moreover, it provides participants with various options from technical fields that are compatible with their career aspir
ations in areas such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity.
Source: Qatar News Agency
