05 October 2021
QCDC launches the “Little Employee” program
Doha, Qatar- October 5, 2021: Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), has launched the Little Employee program to develop young people’s skills, provide them with a stimulating environment, and increase their information about work environments by observing the different aspects of the workday.
A wide number of QF employees’ children, aged from nine to 15, attended this program. The participants spent one working day, from 8 am to 1 pm, working remotely from home with one of their parents. This experience gave them the opportunity to learn about the nature of different professions, and to become familiar with the daily events of professional life.
Commenting on this event, QCDC’s Director, Mr. Abdulla Al-Mansoori said: “This type of program is different from the ‘traditional’ ones. By engaging with parents during their workday, students will learn a range of life skills acquired through observational learning. The children also receive practical advice from their parents about the nature of the profession and become familiar with its hands-on procedures.
Moreover, the children spent joyful hours during the event, and discovered the secret of time management. Mr. Abdulla Al-Mansoori added: “Our children are neither chaotic nor random in managing their lives. We have a great role as parents in creating a suitable environment so that children can complete the process of their training and acquire organizational skills and positive behaviors. Therefore, it is important to explain our time management system and how to align the tasks that need to be done with the time allocated for each task.
“Children may not always understand why parents sometimes prioritize work. However, when they become aware of the tasks that their parents accomplish throughout the day, children will better understand when the parents are required to work late sometimes, or to go to work early at other times.
“As we talk to our children about our pursuit of a work-life balance, they will understand the importance of setting these limits for themselves, applying them later in college, or when they embark on their future careers.”
This virtual program is part of QCDC’s ongoing efforts to help students experience the actual work environment and explore their career interests in a fun and engaging way. Additionally, this program encourages parents to communicate with their children and discuss their current and future educational path, as well as their career goals. Moreover, this experience offered both parents and children the opportunity to look at the available career options and the chance to spend cheerful times, which they will cherish in their memories for a long time. Also, the Little Employee program strengthened the role of parents in the field of career guidance and counseling to align with QCDC’s belief in the role of the family as one of the key factors in determining an individual’s professional identity.
The Little Employee program aims to introduce young people to the value of work, to help them benefit from the experiences of their parents, and to learn the basic concepts of the professional life and the available career possibilities. All of this helps them paint a clear picture of what their future career might look like, and thus make informed and sound academic decisions to achieve their desired professional objectives by planning early for their career journey. Observing the different aspects of a parent’s workday from home helps children develop their emotional skills – and perhaps see their parents in a new way.
