The Community College of Qatar (CCQ) has organized an all-day orientation session for its incoming students and a group of students and academic advisors from 13 high schools to help them explore the Information Technology (IT) and Engineering Technology (ET) educational paths they can embark on at the College. The event was held in response to the growing demand for competent professionals in technically-oriented positions across the industrial, commercial, and government sectors in Qatar.
During the session, participating students took part in informative presentations about the College’s IT and Engineering academic programs, in addition to meeting with representatives from a number of leading institutions to know more about potential career opportunities for graduates of those programs. These institutions included Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Gas, Kahramaa, Es’hailSat, Qatar Financial Centre, and El Seif Engineering Contracting Co Ltd.
Commenting on the occasion, Chair of the Engineering Technology Program at CCQ Dr. Ahmad Al-Omari said:
“At CCQ, we pursue all prospects of preparing our students for their journey as aspiring professionals who can continually develop their skill-sets and advance their careers, while contributing to Qatar’s overall socioeconomic progress and help realize its vision as a nation. The crucial role Engineering Technology plays in pushing national development forward in various sectors places our ET graduates in one of the country’s fastest-growing career fields. It also qualifies them to secure sought-after positions in state-wide infrastructure and public works, the Oil and Gas industry, as well as the transportation sector – including railway operations. This orientation session gave us the opportunity to inform our incoming students’ learning and career choices and introduce them to what life as an ET student and working professional entails.”
CCQ’s ET programs integrate communication skills, theoretical, and applied competencies to get students up to speed with the latest technologies and engage them in a lifelong learning process.
Endorsing a flexible 2+2 learning model means that enrollees can graduate with an Associate degree in Engineering Technology in two years, following which they can choose to join the labor market, or study for two more years towards earning a bachelor degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering Technology.
To complement their theoretical learning, the 176 male and female students currently enrolled in CCQ’s ET programs undergo practical training in a number of latest-tech college laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art systems and devices, which is further augmented with internships at leading public institutions such as Hamad International Airport, Qatar Rail, Ashghal, Dolphin Energy, Qatar Petrochemical Company (QAPCO), and many others.
Some of the specialized roles ET students at the College can assume upon graduation include maintenance, testing, installation, safety and preventive measures in telecommunications, industrial manufacturing, production design and development, quality assurance, research and development, and technical operations and services.
For his part, CCQ’s Chair of the Information Technology Program Dr. Mohammed Al-Dorani said:
“The establishment of a knowledge-based society in Qatar requires building and operating a smart ICT infrastructure that powers national development in a broad range of disciplines. Certainly, vast technological resources and skilled personnel are crucial factors in managing as well as safeguarding such intricate IT systems - and that’s where the specialized academic programs at CCQ come in. Our last graduation ceremony proudly hosted the country’s first batch of students to hold a bachelor’s degree in Cyber and Network Security, and this year we continue to invest our time and effort in promoting IT education’s role in realizing Qatar’s future vision. The orientation session recently held for newly admitted students is one of several platforms to tap into towards that end, and we are excited about welcoming a new batch of students to our programs.”
In the context of promoting a greater understanding of and interest in the telecommunications sector, the IT Academic Department has also participated in Huawei’s annual weeklong program “Seeds for the Future”, recently in Beijing, China.
As part of the culturally-immersive experience, a group of 10 CCQ Cybersecurity students worked at the Chinese telecommunication giant’s headquarters in Shenzhen, where they studied at its cutting-edge ICT training center, operating and practicing in a lab with the latest equipment, and receiving up-to-date ICT solution demonstrations from the organization’s experts. During their trip, the students met with Qatar’s Ambassador to China H.E. Mohamed bin Abdullah Al-Dehaimi, who expressed his delight to learn about the unique experiences of the Qatari youth generation.
In addition to the BS in Information Technology-Cyber and Network Security program, CCQ offers a two-year Associate of Science in Information Technology, as well as a 2+2 BS in Information Technology-Network and Systems Administration. Newcomers who opt for the College’s IT academic programs will be joining more than 250 currently enrolled IT students.
