20 September 2022
Career Counselors Hub Hosts Discussions on Emerging Trends in Career Guidance
CAREER COUNSELORS HUB HOSTS DISCUSSIONS ON EMERGING TRENDS IN CAREER GUIDANCE
Annual event focuses on innovation, collaboration, and sustainability to meet Qatar’s needs
Doha, Qatar- September 20, 2022: The recent Career Counselors Hub offered more than 180 career counselors and academic advisors’ valuable insight into the necessary tools and knowledge needed to support the career development of their students. A professional development platform for career practitioners in Qatar, the event builds upon the Annual Career Counselors Training Program, which launched in 2015, and was hosted by Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), in partnership with the U.S. Embassy Doha and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.
The event which took place at Education City, brought together more than 180 career counselors and academic advisors from all public and international schools in Qatar. Career counselors had also the chance to network with representatives of 36 organizations and institutions relevant to students’ career development, such as governmental agencies, foreign missions, universities, industry representatives that offer scholarship programs, and NGO partners.
QCDC’s Director Abdulla Al-Mansoori commented on how the event provided an opportunity for career guidance experts to engage in activities that contribute to their personal development as well as Qatar’s sustainable development. “Today, our world is more interconnected than ever thanks to the tremendous technological advancements. We firmly believe that career guidance practices should follow suit, especially in terms of developing new approaches to meet the demands of the labor market and achieve Qatar’s sustainable development goals. For that reason, we were keen to add new themes to this year’s edition of the Career Counselors Hub, focusing on innovation, collaboration, and sustainability.”
This year’s program focused on the theme of innovation, collaboration, and sustainability, with sessions including skills’ builders, panel discussions, workshops, and case studies among others. Speakers presented on a unique range of topics, from ‘Using Data to Support High School Students’ to ‘Career Trends and Market Needs’ and ‘Engagement with Students for College and Career Choices’.
Dr. Abdulla Al-Marri, Director of the Curriculum and Learning Resources Department at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, said: “I’m pleased to be part of the Career Counselors Hub. I would like to thank Qatar Career Development Center and the US Embassy Doha for co-organizing this event which is of significant importance for students. The training and development provided to the academic counselors throughout the event empower them to act as a link between schools and universities to help students choose their future majors and career paths as well as overcome any challenges they may encounter.”
Michael Schreuder, Deputy Chief of Mission at U.S. Embassy Doha, agreed, saying: “Qatar’s economic influence in the region and beyond cannot be understated, and the United States welcomes its efforts to diversify and transition to knowledge-based economy. This requires Qataris to seek education and expertise from around the world. Enhanced education exchanges are imperative to ensure that future generations become responsible leaders and advocates to strengthen collective prosperity and security in the Gulf, MENA region and internationally.”
Also expressing his gratitude to QCDC and its partners for organizing this flagship event, Dr. Nayef Alyafei, Associate Professor at Texas A&M at Qatar, said: “It was a great opportunity to network with experts and specialists to discuss our shared objectives and how we can leverage career counseling to guide students toward the university majors that best align with their interests and skill sets. We also discussed the challenges we face today and shared insights on how to tackle them. ”
Career counselors came together again on September 14 for the 2022 Doha Counselors Day when QCDC, a member of Qatar Foundation, collaborated with Education City partner universities, who hosted the event, to deliver two workshops.
