Internships are an excellent tool for advancing your skills in a field of interest. These positions help young adults find a career path, test their aptitude for certain kinds of work, and further develop their resume or CV. Internships are almost always unpaid as the intern is gaining skills and experience. It is critical to find the right match so that the relationship is beneficial to both intern and company. Full-time students have the easiest time finding internships because of their age, lack of real life skills, amount of free time, and education. It is important to note that some internships are in fact limited to student who must complete an internship for school credit.

Internships in Qatar

Most internships in Qatar are in the energy, media and hospitality sectors. Some people choose to pay a company set-up the internship, while others are arranged through local universities, such as Qatar University, Georgetown University and Stenden University. These universities have agreements with companies such as the Commercial Bank, Deloitte, Doha Bank, Ernst & Young, Exxon Mobil, General Electric, HSBC Bank, KPMG, Maersk Oil, Microsoft, PwC, Ooredoo (Qtel), QChem, Qatar Airways, Qatar Gas, Qatar Foundation, Qatar Museums Authority, Qatar Petroleum, Qatar Olympic Committee, RasGas, Reed, Shell and Vodafone. If you are not a university student, contacting such companies directly may be your best option. You should also note that some (but not all) internship opportunities in Doha are reserved for Qatari nationals.

Search for Internships in Doha

Search Online for Internships in Qatar

Search engines allow you to scan a large variety of internships, and narrow down your search based on particular certain criteria. It is also a good idea to post your CV online. It can also be beneficial to directly inquire about internships with companies you are interested in.

• Shell: http://www.shell.com.qa/
• QatarGas: http://www.qatargas.com/
• Qatar Airways (for Qatari nationals only): http://careers.qatarairways.com/
• The Economist: Contact: Mohammed Al-Nasr, PR Services Trainee: malnasr@qf.org.qa
• Vodafone Qatar: http://www.vodafone.qa/
• Sidra Medical and Research Centre:
  http://careers.sidra.org/
• Ooredoo (formerly Qatar Telecommunications): http://careers.qtel.qa/

Newspaper Job Listings

Several papers have a helpful classified's section. There are job offers for executives and professionals, as well as sections dedicated to specific professions, like teaching, computers, and media.

These include:

Gulf Times

Website: http://www.gulf-times.com/
Major newspaper in Qatar. Job postings can be found in the hard copy of the newspaper.

The Guardian (UK)

Website: http://jobs.guardian.co.uk
UK newspaper that occasionally publishes job listings for Qatar.

Networking in Qatar

Sometimes getting an internship in your field is about knowing the right people, and this is true in Doha. Talk to friends, family, and educational and business contacts to see if they have connections in the area you would like to work. Student events can also be a great way to find out how other students found. You can also use social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedln or expat forums to find internships.

Visa for Internship in Qatar

The company or organization you intern for in Doha will be responsible for obtaining a work permit and applying for a residence permit on your behalf. You cannot apply for a work permit prior to your arrival in Doha, your employer must sponsor you to apply once you obtain an internship.

For more information on visa, consult the section on "Passport and Visas".

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