Qatar Career Fair (QCF), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, recently concluded its youth-empowerment programme.
Taking part in the QCF Ambassadors programme were 236 high school students from over 18 independent schools as well as a number of academic supervisors and career guidance counsellors.
Building on QCF’s mission to empower and invest in the youth while moulding them into future leaders, the programme, which was launched early last March at Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s Student Centre, aimed to shape and develop the skills and capabilities of students. It also promoted the importance of career advancement, professional planning and specialisation choices through a series of training sessions, workshops and activities.
Drawing inspiration from QCF’s motto, “Your Future In Your Hands”, the programme was designed to foster a supportive and stimulating environment in order to encourage Qatari youth to contribute to the growth and advancement of community, according to a statement.
Commenting on the success of the initiative, Abdulla al-Mansoori, director of QCF, said: “The QCF Ambassadors programme is one of many year-round initiatives, activities and platforms that Qatar Career Fair is spearheading, lending a hand to Qatari youth and guiding them into smart career choices that will reflect positively on their academic and professional paths.”
Students attended a host of diverse workshops that took place over a period of two months, focusing on topics such as life skills, leadership, project management, career development and entrepreneurship.
Training participants on how to prepare resumes, conduct job interviews, deliver presentations and build confidence and critical-thinking capabilities, the programme also gave students an understanding of the local labour market developments and needs, as well as exposure to different work environments and specialisations in Qatar.
QCF’s youth empowerment programme offered access to internship, training and development opportunities at leading and established entities and institutions in Qatar, which were specifically matched to each of the participants’ career ambitions.
Through such programmes, QCF is instilling a culture of pro-activity, initiative, leadership, creativity and innovation among Qatari students, asserted al-Mansoori.
He added that every participant would become an ambassador for QCF, spreading and promoting the programme’s messages and outcomes in their school communities, ensuring wide-reaching awareness around career development for Qatari students.
QCF’s next step is to target college students and other academic levels.