The Key Factors Affecting the Career Choices in Qatar - Essay Example

Qatar’s key industry is the oil and gas industry and the energy industry which helps skyrocket its economy and since the industry is today in its progressive mode and is booming many Qatari youths are attracted to the thought of belonging to the oil and gas industry. In stark comparison to this, other countries, for example, the U.S. Australia, etc do not have a key industry that the entire country depends on and hence the youth in these countries do not make a beeline for just one industry. For example, in the United States, the present booming industry is the IT industry however, healthcare and biotechnology industries are equally attractive. The youth in these countries therefore try and explore other industries as well which a Qatari student really does not even think about at one go.

Another major influential role is played by the education system that a person might be studying in. In Qatar, several international schools have come up that expose the Qatari students to the international curriculum and this has influenced the way this student “perceived themselves and their career choices” (Kann & Baker,2006). Students in these institutions gain a deeper understanding of western society’s thoughts, beliefs and culture In comparison these international schools do not exist in the West and hence there is no question of any curriculum exposure having an impact on the students at all.

Studies have shown that students in different countries give importance to different issues whilst deciding on a career path. today’s Qatari youth self-efficacy is the determining factor. The men prefer non-conventional options when compared to women and women are more drawn to conventional jobs believed suitable for women such as teaching or nursing (Abdalla,1994). This may also be because until recently Arabian women were not granted the extent of liberty that they enjoy today. In South Africa, studies shave shown that students rely on parents' advice, self-learning ability and economic background to settle on a career (Shumba & Naong, 2012) whereas in the U.S. a student’s choice is influenced by social background and community (Ferry,2006). Gender bias is less prevalent among most western countries and we find women choosing careers that most conventional people would believe to be only for men such as those in the army or the navy.

The important factor of all is exposure to career choices. Western country students know about a vast arena of career options ranging from careers in commercial industries, healthcare industries to hotel services and even public services. However, Qatar students like most students in the Arabian countries today have comparatively lesser exposure since some arenas such as IT, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, etc are still in their infantile stages and hence the choices are very limited as well.

 A career choice even though is a personal decision is clearly influenced by more than one factor and the factors vary among countries.