elev8 collaborates with Microsoft, MCIT to initiate Qatar digital centre of excellence

elev8, a leading digital training initiatives firm has launched a digital centre of excellence in Doha, Qatar, in collaboration with Microsoft and the ministry of communications and information technology (MCIT).

The initiative is meant to accelerate sustainable human development and digital transformation in line with the national vision of Qatar 2030.

The event was held recently under the auspices of Mohammed bin Ali bin Mohammed Al Mannai, the minister of communications and information technologies, and a high representation of government officials and private sector executives.

During his opening speech, the minister explained that the initiative seeks to create a highly qualified and competitive workforce for a fast-growing, diversified, technologically advanced economy.

Besides, the centre is expected to play a vital role in building the talent pool that will help accelerate the digital transformation of government institutions and private sector companies.

“Digital transformation is no longer an option; Qatar must improve its competitiveness at a regional and global level. Our wise leadership realized this many years ago.

“It has managed to achieve significant milestones in reducing the digital skills gap by launching many partnerships and initiatives, the most important of which is the digital centre of excellence, established with our partners Microsoft and elev8.

“These efforts are vital to ensure that more people in Qatar have the advanced digital skills necessary to enable an open and flexible economic environment, capable of competing in a changing world and building a knowledge economy based on research, development, innovation, and excellence in entrepreneurship,” Mohammed bin Ali bin Mohammed al-Mannai said.

Read also: Elev8 partners Amazon Web Services on digital stills training

María Balbás, the president of elev8, in her speech explained that the partnership with Microsoft and MCIT marks a crucial moment in Qatar’s digital transformation journey to create a highly-skilled workforce with essential digital skills for success in the fourth industrial revolution.

“elev8 supports a culture of lifelong learning and fosters curiosity and a passion for learning. We adopt an innovative approach, applying the elev8 active learning methodology so that students acquire knowledge through practical experiences and real-life scenarios.

“The Digital Center of Excellence will equip the inhabitants of Qatar with the necessary skills in cutting-edge technologies for a new digital world, whether they are students, professionals, or business leaders,” Balbás explained.

Lana Khalaf, the chief executive officer of Microsoft Qatar, concluded that the official launch of the Digital Centre of Excellence is an essential milestone in the technology company’s current partnership with the MCIT.

“Our efforts represent our joint commitment to unlocking opportunities for the people of Qatar in the digital age by developing the technical skills of students as well as those already in the workforce,” she said.

The Digital Centre of Excellence is an initiative that seeks to create a highly qualified and competitive workforce for a fast-growing, diversified, technologically advanced economy.

Its goal is to develop the technical skills of students and workers through role-based and globally recognised training pathways.

The centre offers individuals and organisations a professional advantage by providing a range of training and certifications that train, enhance, and retrain current professionals, developers, business leaders, and students in advanced technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and cybersecurity.

The opening of the centre comes ahead of the commissioning of a new Microsoft cloud data centre in the Qatar region, which will feature enterprise-grade cloud services, combined with data residency, security, and the broadest compliance for organisations and companies in Qatar.

elev8 consolidates its operation in the middle east with a modern campus for training in new technologies.

As part of the collaboration, more than 13,000 people in Qatar have received training and certification in various functions and audiences in just 18 months. Students, teachers, computer professionals, developers, and business leaders are benefiting from the initiative.