Apr 03, 2018

QCDC Unveils New Career Advising System Across Public Secondary Schools

Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), in partnership the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, announced that it will roll out its new Career Advising System (CAS) across public secondary schools in Qatar during the second semester of the 2017-2018 academic year.

QCDC made the announcement on the sidelines of the Career Guidance Stakeholders Platform 2018, organized under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Chairperson of Qatar Foundation, in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Doha Office and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

Mr. Abdulla Al-Mansoori, Director, QCDC, said: “Today, we are delighted to witness a new milestone in QCDC’s journey, expanding our reach to provide all students across public secondary schools in Qatar with career guidance services that will have a lasting impact on their academic and career journeys.

“The new career advising system is unique, as it provides a tailor-made solution that factors in Qatar’s social and economic conditions. The CAS features diverse and innovative components as well as psychometric and personality assessment tools to help students identify the most appropriate academic and career paths in line with the future needs of Qatar.”

The implementation of CAS comes within the framework of the MoU that was inked last year between QCDC and the Ministry of Education and Higher Education with the aim of establishing a strategic partnership in promoting academic, career development, and career guidance-related activities.

Ms. Fawzia Al-Khater, Assistant Under-Secretary for Educational Affairs, Ministry of Education and Higher Education, said: “Career guidance plays an important role in the academic and career journeys of students, helping youth discover their talents and develop their skills to meet the demand for skilled professionals in various sectors. The MoU between the Ministry and QCDC culminated in several training programs including intensive career guidance trainings targeting academic and career counselors across public schools in Qatar. The agreement eventually laid the foundations for implementing a new Career Advising System developed by QCDC to guide 10th grade students into planning their academic and career paths. The nationwide implementation of the new CAS, which was designed to meet the requirement of Qatar’s education environment, is a first of its kind initiative in the Middle East.”

Al-Khater also hailed the active partnership between QCDC and the Ministry, represented by the Academic and Career Guidance Division of the Department of Educational Guidance, praising the latter for its efforts in following up on the implementation of the joint programs with QCDC.

Within the framework of its ongoing cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, QCDC has trained more than 70 academic counselors on the use and integration of CAS across secondary schools in Qatar to offer career guidance services for students.

CAS was developed by QCDC in co-operation with Kuder Inc., a world leader in career planning services, and various government entities, for the purpose of integrating specialized IT solutions into the career guidance framework in Qatar.