Nov 29, 2016

QCDC PARTICIPATES IN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE

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Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC) recently participated in a conference organised by the International Association of Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG) to promote equity through guidance. The conference, which took place in Madrid in November, was held under the title ‘Promoting Equity Through Guidance: Reflection, Action, Impact’.

The event was aimed at contributing to the ongoing discussions on the impact of educational and vocational guidance and the importance of the support provided by institutions, governments and the private sector to promote personal, professional and academic development as well as creating more equitable, sustainable and cohesive communities.

Commenting on QCDC’s participation in the conference, Mr Abdullah Al Mansoori, Director of QCDC, said: “QCDC is keen on attending and participating in important international events that relate to professional development and career guidance. Conferences such as these provide a discussion platform that brings together career guidance experts, academics, professionals, consultants and policy makers to facilitate the exchange of expertise and research findings on relevant topics, which enhances our experience.”

“Proper professional guidance results in the equitable distribution of tasks and functions corresponding to the skills and abilities of each person within a work environment. In doing so, we ensure that Qatar’s youth are taking the career path that best relates to their talents and ambitions,” Al Mansoori added.

During the conference, QCDC representatives presented a paper and poster outlining the centre’s programmes and initiatives. QCDC officials also participated in a symposium on enhancing the cooperation between counselling and career guidance institutions.

The paper, entitled, ‘Developing Career Guidance in the State of Qatar: A Stakeholder Engagement Approach’, is based on the findings of three research papers completed by QCDC in 2015.

The overall purpose of the paper is to document current career guidance practices in Qatar, identify opportunities and challenges and offer recommendations for future improvement purposes. Based on empirical data, the papers indicate that career guidance in Qatar is in an early stage of development, offered in a fragmented manner and is yet to be integrated into existing education and labour market systems. To alleviate the situation, and to effectively contribute to Qatar’s human capital development, a wide range of structural, institutional, socio-cultural and capacity building challenges need to be adequately recognised and strategically dealt with.

Abdulrahman Al-Kaabi, Marketing Officer at QCDC, presented an exhibition poster entitled, ‘Training School Counsellors to Assist in Building Qatar’s Knowledge Economy’. The poster focuses on the programmes offered by QCDC including the ‘Career Advisor Training Course’, the first specialised bilingual training course for career advisors in Qatar, and the ‘Career Counsellors Training Workshop’, a programme launched in collaboration with the Training and Education Development Center of the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the US Embassy in Doha. The programme is designed to train counsellors and equip them with the knowledge and skills that enable them to provide better career guidance to students.

These two programmes attracted more than 135 participants who went through more than 5,400 hours of training. “We sought, through this poster, to give a quick overview of the training programmes offered by QCDC to support counsellors and career guidance experts in Qatar and equip them with the tools that would enable them to help young Qataris make informed decisions when it comes to academic and career choices,” Al-Kaabi said.

A delegation from QCDC also participated in a symposium that brought together representatives from 22 local and international organisations to discuss the best approach to share knowledge and exchange information as well as the need for cooperation to advance professional development policies. Participants also discussed the possibility of coordinating efforts to support professional development in various countries.

The conference’s sessions also touched on various other topics including the provision of professional services for immigrants and refugees, intervention during difficult economic times and issues relating to career development and public policy.

Representatives from QCDC familiarised participants with the centre’s initiatives and programmes. It outlined its efforts to support Qatar’s youth in achieving a better professional future through training and consultancy services as well as to instil career guidance within Qatar’s culture through programmes, initiatives and activities relating to professional development and career guidance.

Formerly Qatar Career Fair (QCF), QCDC, a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF) recently rebranded to further cement its position as a pioneer in career guidance.