QATARSUCKS and the world needs to know!

Low salaries and lack of privileges apart, taking up a job in the private sector can lower the social standing of a Qatari.

Qataris value social prestige more than anything else, so fighting this kind of perception attached to private jobs is one of the most formidable challenges the planners in the country face in their drive to push nationals into private employment.

"It is against our custom and traditions to join a private company. It can lower our social standing," Nasser Abdullah Al Ajmi told Al Sharq. A good thing about government jobs is that nationals are provided on-the-job training and are also frequently sent overseas for training, he added.

The daily interviewed a number of young nationals to know their views on the government's accent on Qatarisation in the private sector. "I don't think the drive is going to succeed because nationals do not like to join private companies," said Ali Galoom.

He said that the absence of social security system and the fact that private firms are not covered under the Retirement and Pension Law basically keeps nationals away from private companies.

Qataris look for jobs in the government sector due to prestige, stability and security ? things which are missing in private sector employment, said Khalifa Ibrahim Nisf.

A trend has now begun where public shareholding companies are increasingly employing Qataris, he said. But, according to Ali Al Mohannadi, some four Qataris employed with listed firms are quitting their jobs on an average a month due to various kinds of pressures.

Most people say that Qataris are not hardworking people and they don't have enough work experience.

"I think the best option with the state is to issue guidelines to listed companies to employ more and more Qataris. Ali Al Marri also thinks that the Qatarisation drive in the private sector is not going to bear any fruit.

"There are people I know who have remained unemployed for years on end waiting for a government job to come their way. This is our thinking," he said. "I have myself been unemployed for five years waiting for state employment," he stated.

Private firms prefer expatriates as they settle for lower salaries and no perks, said Noor Mohamed.

Ali Al Mohanndi said that there are many highly qualified Qataris who remain unemployed. But there are expatriates with similar qualifications, who are employed by private companies in high positions and for higher salaries and perks. "There is a need to strike a balance."

Source: Gulf Times