Qatar Career Development Centre (QCDC), member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (QF), participated in the 2023 Arab Career Development Conference (ACDC), held from February 27 to March 1 in Aswan, Egypt.
During the conference, the centre's delegation presented a research paper, highlighting Qatar's leading capabilities in the field of career guidance and development, to a group of senior experts and specialists from all over the Arab world.
The conference's workshops, numbering over 30, provided the delegation with a unique platform to exchange experiences and knowledge related to the field of career development, discuss international best practices, and explore ways to develop and coordinate career development efforts across the Arab world, among the 1,000 expert attendants and representatives of 42 governmental and non-governmental entities from across 12 Arab countries
QCDC's participation in the conference is a testament to the centre's commitment to promoting career development and fostering an inclusive employment culture in Qatar, a press statement notes.
Saad al-Kharji, Career Programmes & Services manager at QCDC, presented a case study titled 'Enhancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Qatar’s Labour Market: A Case Study', which reviewed the intensive efforts made by the centre to promote an inclusive employment culture in Qatar, the successes they have achieved, and the challenges still facing this endeavour.
The centre has long provided inclusive career development services, with facilitated access for people with disabilities, through the 'Inclusive Career Development Initiatives' cluster, which represents a qualitative leap in the field of career development for people with disabilities.
Al-Kharji also discussed transferring the knowledge and experience behind these programmes to the wider region and applying them within bespoke Arab contexts.
"Our participation in this prestigious event was an opportunity to represent Qatar on an international platform and showcase the country's achievements in promoting inclusivity in career development, and we were proud to present our successful initiatives in this regard. We believe that by collaborating with other stakeholders in the region, we can continue to promote positive change in the labour market and create more opportunities for all individuals to reach their full potential," said Abdulla al-Mansoori, director of QCDC.
Ahmad Kamal, president of the Arab Career Development Conference, said: "Considering that this conference was organised to be a bridge between Arab career development experts and practitioners, I can confidently say that QCDC's participation was crucial to the success of the conference. We were delighted to know more about career development inclusivity efforts in Qatar, and the career development landscape in general. The insightful case study presented by QCDC's delegation warrants deep reflection on their experience, and how it can enrich career development in the whole region."
QCDC's representatives were accompanied by a delegate of the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau.
Dhabya al-Buainain, director of Nomination and Replacement, gave a presentation that discussed the bureau's efforts in providing career guidance and development for job seekers through the national e-recruitment portal (Kawader).