Qatar hoteliers highlight need for trained staff

Hoteliers in Qatar have welcomed plans for a training institute for the hospitality industry, in order to facilitate the creation of 127,000 jobs by 2030.

Oryx Rotana director of human resources Ghaith Dalati believes a lack of specialised training in the country is one of the biggest challenges recruiters face, and hopes the new institute will address the challenges.

“I am sure it will be a big step in the education and hospitality sector. The lack of hospitality schools in the region makes it difficult to recruit and attract people. The institute will open a new pool the county needs and must have in the coming years. This can only be driven and the vision of the country can only be achieved if we have local workforce that understands the culture, mentality, Arabic hospitality, and can be groomed locally to drive this,” he said.

Rotana is due to open at least three new hotels by 2015, and Dalati says the country’s regulations pose a challenge when it comes to recruiting staff as well.

“Finding talented and qualified candidates that know and want to come to Doha is a challenge. The workforce comes from aboard and the local market doesn’t offer much of opportunity to discover and search for the required qualifications because of visa restrictions,” explained Dalati.

While some hotel groups have managed to fill vacancies easily until recently, with the announcement of up to 110 hotels under construction in the run up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which is set to attract up to one million visitors, hoteliers acknowledge that lack of trained staff will make recruitment trickier.

Commenting on the announcement, Golden Tulip Hotels, Suites and Resorts MENA president Amine Moukarzel said: “This is an excellent drive in Qatar for the development of the human resource and to provide a platform for the youth to work in the service industry, especially with the growth of hospitality in Qatar, in order to cope, not only with the construction, but also with the human resources, and to cope with the 2022 world cup in Qatar.”

Hilton Worldwide senior director of human resources operations Koray Genckul said: “Recruitment may pose more of a challenge for us in the future as more Hilton Worldwide properties in our development pipeline for Qatar come on stream. We expect to open six hotels in Qatar within the next three years so we will be ramping up our recruitment efforts in a number of ways.”

Commenting on the need for training, Genckul said: “The industry in general requires a number of core competencies from individuals who wish to work in hospitality, the most important being a real sense of customer service, sharp communication and team work skills as well as organisational talent and an appreciation for attention to detail. I would anticipate the Institute will cover a range of functional abilities together with the necessary softer aptitude skills.”

Qatari daily Gulf Times also quoted Stenden University in Qatar’s executive dean Robert Coelen, who said the university was prepared to develop its programmes to meet the country’s needs.

There are currently 81 operational hotels in Qatar, and a further 90,000 rooms are expected to be ready in time for the FIFA World Cup in 2022