The main stage at the Doha International Book Fair (DIBF) hosted a panel discussion on Qatar Platform Speaks as part of the program held alongside the fair.
Featuring the attendance of specialists and visitors, the panel discussed the importance of professional development, the future of in-demand skills, and the impact of artificial intelligence and digital transformation on the workplace environment.
"Continuous occupational development has not been an additional option but rather an imperative imposed by the nature of consecutive transformations in the labour market amid the increasing need for leadership and digital skills as well as the ability to adapt and engage in continuous learning," CEO of Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA), Dr. Khalifa Al Salahi Al Yafei said .
Al Yafei underlined that today's labour market not only looks for academically qualified talent, but for individuals who are capable of combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience.
He suggested that what matters the most is field training, volunteerism, and occupational courses to build students' character, to be ultimately prepared for deployment in the labour market.
As such, Al Yafei recalled that there is an obvious gap between academic content and market needs, stressing the importance of developing curricula and connecting them with rapid global changes, particularly amid easy access to knowledge and the growing impact of technology and artificial intelligence.
He further highlighted that adaptation is one of the most consequential skills required in modern workplaces, clarifying that the accelerated development in AI-powered tools requires individuals and enterprises to cope with these realignments and learn how to capitalise on these tools to streamline output and optimise performance.
Responding to a point on the impact of AI on humans, Al Yafei outlined that these technologies are auxiliary tools that can boost productivity and provide time and cost efficiency, but people can't be oblivious to human thinking, expertise, and knowledge. He re-emphasised the need to consciously handle these tools and never depend on them entirely.
Al Yafei concluded that the true challenge ahead does not lie in obtaining a job, but in the ability to persistently innovate and maintain occupational value in a labour market that is undergoing rapid change.
