Jul 30, 2017
QATAR CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER SUCCESSFULLY CONCLUDES SUMMER CAREER CAMP 2017
Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC) has concluded the fourth edition of its Summer Career Camp, with 55 secondary school students taking part. The two-week camp featured a variety of activities and educational programs, as well as stimulating workshops that offered practical skills and knowledge to help inspire students as they plan their future academic and career paths.
A large number of Qatari students participated in the camp, which included site visits to leading organizations in Qatar such as Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar Tourism Authority, Msheireb Museums, Qatar Development Bank, and Qatar Business Incubation Center. These visits offered a glimpse into different professions, and taught students about the career opportunities available at each organization. Students also participated in a number of workshops delivered by the organizations to help them match their abilities and skills with a variety of career choices.
Abdulla Al-Mansoori, Director of QCDC, said: “We’re pleased with the number of Qatari youth who have benefited from QCDC’s efforts, which aim to help young people make more informed career choices. The decisions they make today will not only shape their futures, but will also outline the future of the country. Therefore, we must ensure that these decisions are made in a mindful and informed manner, and identify the various associated factors.”
“Through this camp and all of its other programs and initiatives, QCDC aims to keep Qatar’s youth in mind and help them to make positive career choices, which, in turn, are in the best interest of Qatar and its future,” he added.
As part of the educational workshops, the students learned how to write resumes and prepare for university admissions; both important skills as they progress through their academic and career paths.
The Summer Career Camp 2017 focused on additional topics such as entrepreneurship and handicraft projects, in order to demonstrate careers outside traditional office jobs, including starting a business and making use of personal talents. Students also participated in a series of handicraft workshops, including a session on how to make perfume. The students were then given the opportunity to produce their own perfumes by mixing various oils and scents.
This year’s camp featured special guest Sheikha Al Wadaani, a Qatari psychology major at the University of Sussex in England. In 2013, Al Wadaani created a new game as part of her participation in the INJAZ competition, where she won the ‘Best Student Company in Qatar’ award. Later, she participated in the INJAZ Al-Arab regional competition, where she was nominated for the ‘Best Social Impact’ award. Al Wadaani’s game, titled ‘Learn and Enjoy,’ aims to teach students about different school curricula and subjects, and was inspired by the famous board game Monopoly.
Al Wadaani shared her success story with the students and invited them to modify her game to be more career-relevant. Students in turn shared what they learned during the Summer Career Camp 2017.
Additionally, QCDC and Al Wadaani have collaborated to develop a practical framework to launch a new version of the ‘Learn and Enjoy’ game focusing on four key areas: military, medicine, business, and tourism. The camp’s attendees were divided into different groups to add more areas, topics, and questions to the game. This new version of the game will be used by QCDC in its various trainings, workshops, camps, and programs.
Commenting on her experience, Mai Al Qubaisi, a participating student, said: “I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the camp, as we’ve benefited a lot from our participation. We learned how to decide on our academic choices and have a better understanding of our capabilities. I advise all students to join the coming editions of the camp, and urge them to work for the development of our country to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030, because Qatar deserves the best from its people.”
The Summer Career Camp is one of several initiatives organized by QCDC, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), designed to help Qatari youth make decisions on their academic and professional potential.
