1. Managing & Developing the Workforce
during Times of Economic Downturn
8th Asian Conference & 1st MENA Conference of
the Academy of HRD
Bahrain, Dec 12 – Dec 15, 2009
“Re-inventing the Role of Education during
Times of Economic Downturn at the
GCCs”
Dr. Hend Al Muftah, Qatar University

2. Agenda
Background
Education & Training: Strategic relationship
Rationale for Corrections
Implications of Education on Workplace
Q & A

3. Background…
The GCCs population is too small
Non-national workforce 88% in Qatar, 91%
in UAE in 2008
Economies depending on oil & gas
Economic diversification
Increased unemployment
4.2% to 17% during 2004-08
Globalization & Technological Change
 Called for technology-based skills

4. Recent Highlights…
UNESCO Report (2000) - poor quality of
education
The 2003 Arab Human Development Report
(UNDP, 2003) spotlighted
Outdated curriculum
Educational outcomes # labor market demands
Graduates do not possess needed skills
Education is ill-prepared to enter the world of
work in a global economy

5. GCCs Primary Goals: Managing &
Developing Workforce
Make their countries a competitive players by
raising the quality of the HC of their nationals
Reduce the reliance on non-national labor;
technically & professionally


 Corrections:
 Education Reform
 OJT

6. Education & Training:
Strategic Relationship
Education: basic general-skills -
long-term
TVET & OJT: basic specific-skills
-short-term

7. GCCs Rationale for Corrections…
Economic diversification
Globalization
Cost-effectiveness
Unemployment
Competitive LM

8. Competitive LM
Employers valued the following competencies*:
- provide leadership -take initiative
- act responsibly beyond reproach - adept to change
- act effectively under time pressure
- think critically and creatively
- apply appropriate business models
*Najdawi & Harhoush,(2009) unpublished paper
Education Reform is priority

9. GCCs Education Reform Categories
Formation of new education authorities
Restructuring the EI systems
Restructured curriculum-modern & international
standards
Integration of IT in learning environment
Work-related skills (critical thinking/ problem
solving)
Wider range of options (HE international
& seeking accreditation)
Strong partnership with LM/Industry

10. Strong Partnership with LM/Industry
Providing work experience (59%)
Taking part in the EIs' activities
(44%)
Involved in their sub-committees
(15.5%)
Member/official partner (12.9%)
* (Jolo, 2009, unpublished paper)

11. Characteristics of Emerging Trends In
New Economy CBE & Industry Management Education
Transformational Learning
Environment
Faculty Industry
T&D Alliances
Ethics/Social Curriculum
Responsibility Integration
Negotiation Communication
Skills Skills
Experiential International
Learning Business
Team Building IT
Skills Infrastructure
Requisite Student Skills Bases of Competition

12. Implications: CBE: Annual Assessment (since
2004)
Exit, Alumni & Employers’ surveys, 2009 Results:
Communication skills: 96% graduates & 95%
alumni, 96% employers
Utilizing IT in DM: 76% graduates, 86% alumni,
96% employers
Ethics & social responsibility in DM: 76%
graduates, 76% alumni, 95% employers
Work effectively in teams: 72% graduates, 100%
alumni & employers

13. OJT
Greater OJT efforts are needed to meet the
business’s requirements
To promote specific skills
82% of employees within OGBI needed further
OJT (Jolo, 2004)
 OJT budget increased from 0.5% to more
than 3% over the last 5 years

14. Success Indicators
LM is highly interested in strengthening
their partnership with EI
40% of OGBI highly satisfied with QU
graduates’ technical skills (Jolo, 2004), 57%
classified QU graduates as “highly skilled”
(Jolo, 2009)
78% of employers had strong & positive
partnership with EI (QU & Education City)
(Jolo, 2009)

15. Success Indicators
 Implications
of education on employees’
OJT at workplace
63% of employees within OGBI perceived
their educational attainment at university level
is suitable to their current jobs (Jolo, 2004)
79% of employees believed that education is a
pre-requisite for the effectiveness and success
of their OJT (ibid.)

16. To conclude…
Education for general skills, not specific
skills required by LM
OJT is a “must” within the business
OJT is crucial to improve productivity levels
within any business
OJT is a never-ending learning process to
convey knowledge, impart skills and
influence attitudes at workplace

17. “Education is very significant to enhance my
general knowledge regarding my job as a
chemical engineer, but not my job-related
skills”
“It is unrealistic to suggest that formal
education never or even rarely provide the
industry with required technical-skills.
Technical-skills required by the industry
almost formed & developed through OJT”

18. Thanks for your attention
Q&A
***********
h.almuftah@hotmail.com