Apr, 2017

Career Counselors Training Program

 

 

Program Description

The Career Counselors Training Program is organized by Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC) in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Qatar, and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. It offers comprehensive and interactive professional development opportunities to school counselors across Qatar through a series of lectures, guided group activities, group assignments, and presentations.

The program also provides level-specific training to equip counselors with the resources, knowledge, and strategies they need to effectively guide students in their career and college planning as well as the college admission process.

The yearly program accommodates more than 50 school counselors from independent and private schools in Qatar.

 

Time Frame
It’s a 5-day training program. The latest edition was held on April 23-27, 2017.
Program Purpose
Career and college counseling is very new to public schools and the majority of private schools in Qatar. A significant number of counselors lack the right qualifications or experience to perform their duties effectively.  Thus, the goal of the Career Counselors Training Program is to provide counselors with the tools and resources they need to ensure that Qatari Youth will receive better and up-to-date career and academic counseling services.

Specifically, the counselors will:

  • Learn how to familiarize students with the career planning process, milestones and timelines;
  • Learn how to empower students to create their own career development process and follow it with guidance;
  • Learn how to guide students on specific options based on their context and background (including university planning);
  • Learn about the most up-to-date resources available to facilitate their work (personality assessments and resources like the College Board’s tool, MyRoad, which includes a Myers-Briggs-type assessment and career inventory);
  • Understand ethical/legal guidelines in terms of providing professional advice to students;
  • Learn about the latest technologies used in career counseling;
  • Learn how to measure success, how to measure one’s effectiveness, and take actions to improve;
  • Learn about effective strategies for group career counseling.

Audience(s)
More than 50 school counselors from both genders from independent and private schools in Qatar.
Program Topics

  • Post-Secondary School Options for Students
  • Using Internet & Print Resources
  • Finding the Fit: College & Career
  • WRITING – Recommendations & Essays
  • Mock Application Experience
  • 4 Pillars in Career & Educational Counseling
  • Advising Timeline for Grades 10-12
  • Career Considerations in the Future

Monitoring, Evaluation and Follow-up
Upon completion of the program, participants will complete an evaluation to assess the effectiveness of the workshop in terms of accomplishing goals and objectives. The trainer might recommend follow-on activities to ensure the solidification of information provided in the workshops.

Counselors will continue to discuss and pass on knowledge gained in the program via the Counselors Network that meets regularly under the aegis of the U.S. Embassy.
Certification
Participants will be issued a certificate of participation from QCDC and the U.S. Embassy in Qatar.
Trainer
In the past 3 editions, the program was conducted by Margo McCoy.

McCoy is a US-licensed Professional Counselor who has decades of experience as a college counselor in international schools around the world as well as the U.S. public school system.
Language Requirements
The program is conducted primarily in English.
Contact Information
From the U.S. Embassy: Nahid Lawson, Student advisor, email: LawsonN@state.gov
From QCDC: Effrosyni Parampota, Senior Activities and Volunteerism Officer, email: eparampota@qf.org.qa