Addressing Mismatch between TVET Programs and Skill Needs in the Finance and Banking Sector – A Case Study from Qatar

Abstract

Links between Qatar’s labor market and post-secondary education are not fully effective and often result in neglected or duplicated development of human capital. Therefore, most development efforts occur in isolation involving outmoded programs with many complacent faculty unaware of new technologies and developments relevant to labor market sectors. Analyses of secondary data from government departments and international studies were combined with a survey on “Improving and enriching the Human Capital of the State of Qatar through Identification and Development of 21st Century Skills”. This explored perception of both employers and TVET program leaders toward the skills needed for economic and social development in a changing world by meeting human capital needs through 21st century skills. A total of 85 managers and professionals completed the survey, together with 35 TVET program leaders from one university and five government TVET institutions (the survey was adapted to fit the context of TVET institutions surveyed). Thirty-two of the industry managers and professionals were from Hydrocarbon and Energy, 26 from Built Environment and 27 from Banking Finance sectors. Subsequently, 32 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Descriptive statistics using T-test and effect size for comparison, showed a major mismatch between perceptions of TVET program leaders and business finance sector’ managers and professionals in many aspects of 21st century skills requirements. These were mainly in social skills and some specific technology skills. Significantly, the study indicated weak links between employers and TVET institutions. To address these issues, minimizing the skills’ mismatch can be achieved by placing greater emphasis on reforming the curricula of Qatar’s TVET institutions, to facilitate faster transitions into the workplace.