HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada presented a token of appreciation to Qatargas in recognition of its support to Qatar Independent Technical School (QITS) in Doha. In 2012, Qatargas funded the construction of six new classrooms at QITS.
Qatargas chief operating officer (administration) Ghanim al-Kuwari received the token of appreciation on behalf of the company at a ceremony held at QITS last week. Several dignitaries and high-ranking officials, including HE the Minister of Education and Higher Education Saad bin Ibrahim al-Mahmoud and Qatar University president Prof Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad attended the ceremony. Senior Qatargas officials, including public relations manager Mansour Rashid al-Naimi and learning & development manager Adnan Hassan al-Shaibi, were also present.
Helping build the national workforce is an important element of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme of Qatargas. The company’s partnership with QITS supports its Qatarisation objectives and helps it contribute towards the Human Development pillar of Qatar’s National Vision 2030.
Investing in education and training young nationals enable Qatargas to contribute towards achieving the goals of the National Development Strategy 2011-2016 by increasing the prominence of technical education and vocational training programmes and prepare young Qataris to acquire the skills required for the industrial sector.
Through its ongoing co-operation with QITS, Qatargas has been providing support and direction to Qatar’s education sector. As part of the Qatargas high school internship programmes, QITS students are given placement opportunities over the summer holidays to experience work familiarisation onsite at Ras Laffan.
A specific development programme was designed for the students, who were given exposure to the LNG plant and its various sections, to give them a broad understanding of the gas industry in Qatar and its role in the development of the country in achieving its vision.  
Since 2010, al-Shaibi has held the post of vice-chairman of the board of trustees at QITS.
A key focus of Qatargas’s CSR programme is human development and building youth capacities in line with National Vision 2030. Based on this, Qatargas sponsors a research chair for engineering at Qatar University with the objective of promoting research. It also regularly supports the Gasna competition organised by the Gas Processing Centre of Qatar University, which is aimed at encouraging the country’s younger generation to contribute towards the development of innovative projects for gas and related product technologies.
Operated and supervised by Qatar Petroleum, QITS was founded in 1999 to offer career-oriented technical education at the secondary level.
The technical education programmes offered at QITS are in response to current and potential labour market needs, preparing students to work as technicians and computer professionals in various sectors in Qatar. Programmes are offered in mechanical, electrical, process plant operations, instrumentation, welding and information technology.