A new integrated career guidance platform will be launched as a step to support Qatari youth to meet their professional goals.

Qatar Career Fair (QCF), in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, has recommended an integrated career guidance system following the 2016 edition of the Career Guidance Stakeholders Platform.

The new system will be based on a joint action plan to strengthen collaboration among career guidance stakeholders in Qatar.

The theme of this year’s platform, which took place earlier this year, was ‘Evidence-based insights into strategic collaboration among career guidance stakeholders in Qatar’. It was the first event of its kind in Qatar and brought together over 150 experts in the field of career guidance.

Abdulla Al Mansoori, Director, QCF, said, “Through this meeting and subsequent recommendations, we are taking a step forward in empowering Qatari youth and helping young men and women to meet their professional aspirations, which will ultimately support Qatar’s economic needs.

“Through collaboration, we aim at supporting innovation, knowledge-sharing, exchange of research findings, and promoting best practices in the field of career guidance.”

Experts wrapped up the event with recommendations, including the establishment of a national committee of all stakeholders in the area of career guidance from various government institutions and private organisations.

The panel will develop a strategy to coordinate efforts in the area of career guidance within the framework of Qatar’s Education and Training Sector Strategy 2017-2022.

Participants also called for the establishment of a national body to promote career guidance. The body is to develop and implement specific policies within a national joint action framework to ensure the workforce’s access to professional development through education and training.

Other recommendations include making use of Qatar’s advanced IT infrastructure to create and develop an electronic system for career guidance to help advance the human development pillar of Qatar National Vision 2030.

For short-term, participants recommended the preparation of booklets on the fundamentals of career guidance. The booklets in print and online will be accessible to the public, particularly youth.

The event featured a panel discussion and four breakout sessions, which focused on development of career guidance policies and strategies; building organisational capacity of career guidance centres; professionalisation of career guidance practices; and integration of information technology into career guidance practices.

Source: thepeninsulaqatar.com