Academic counsellors mull ways to enhance youth development

Some 30 academic counsellors and career guidance practitioners in Qatar took part in the first ‘Career Counsellors Follow-up Meeting,’ a newly-launched initiative of the Qatar Career Fair (QCF).
The meeting included a series of career guidance stakeholder engagement and professional development events.
QCF is a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development.
The participants discussed new career guidance development initiatives to better serve Qatari youths.
QCF director Abdulla al-Mansoori said: “Career guidance is an organised educational process that assists students to explore their career path based on their capabilities and skills.”
Omar Bin Abdulaziz Independent Secondary School for Boys academic counsellor Salah El-Din El-Hawary said in their focus group discussion, they explored topics such as the challenges faced by academic counsellors in schools.
The group also tackled the different ways in which the Ministry of Education and Higher Education can help counsellors enhance their role.
El-Hawary added that the introduction of academic counselling to the school curriculum, which is initiated by the Ministry, and planned to be piloted during this academic year in 10 schools was also discussed.
Group one explored the outcomes from the ‘Professionalisation of Career Guidance Practices’ focus group discussion, which was held during the Career Guidance Stakeholders Platform in May 2016.
They also charted ways to help pave the way for the 2017 event.
Group two was responsible for assessing the experience of the Career Advisor Training Course (CATC) participants with the QCF Career Advising System.
They were tasked with suggesting ways to enhance the programme within a clear timeframe and strategy.
At the end of the meeting, the last batch of participants of CATC received their certificates of completion from the President of Kuder Inc, a world leader in career planning services and one of QCF’s strategic partners.
A Kuder delegation led by president and CEO Phil Harrington attended the meeting as part of their visit to discuss the on-going projects and for possible future collaboration in the field of career guidance in Qatar.