QCDC wraps up its Winter Career Camp

Qatar Career Development Centre (QCDC) has completed the fourth edition of its Winter Career Camp with a closing ceremony at the Education City Student Centre.  During the event, participating students were awarded certificates of completion in the presence of their parents, along with press and community members.The weeklong camp provided an integrated educational and recreational experience for secondary school students, who learned many life and practical skills, QCDC – a member of Qatar Foundation (QF) – said in a statement yesterday. Abdulla al-Mansoori, director of QCDC, said: “Our Winter Career Camp is designed with a very simple, yet effective, approach: young participants are given the opportunity to reflect and learn about their abilities, skills and professional preferences in a simple, enjoyable and uncomplicated way, with the aim of choosing the career that best suits their talents.”During the camp, students visited institutions operating across various fields, including tourism, transportation, culture and media, as they listened to specialists in these fields and gained firsthand knowledge about the nature of the professions available in these institutions and a realistic understanding of professional life, the statement noted.The students began the camp with a visit to the QF headquarters and were introduced to Qatar National Library, Education City and QF’s partner universities. On the second day, the students went to Katara to learn about its cultural centres, and also visited Sawt Al Khaleej radio station, the Visual Art Centre, Youth Hobbies Centre and Brooq Magazine. Northwestern University in Qatar hosted the participants at its studio in Katara, where they participated in a live demonstration of a TV presentation and were also introduced to various specialties within the media industry.On the third day, Qatar Tourism Authority introduced the students to the field of tourism and the professions available to them, with a site visit to a hotel to learn about hospitality. Following this, the students went to Qatar Railways Company, commonly known as Qatar Rail, and learned about careers in the field of transport and public transportation. On the fourth day, the students went to Qatar Airways, where a group of aviation specialists introduced them to aviation and the Cadet Pilot Programme. The students then conducted live demonstrations for taking off and landing in a flight simulator.The final day of the camp included an introductory session about universities in Qatar, such as Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar University, Community College of Qatar, Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar and Stenden University Qatar, among others. Representatives of these universities provided students with an overview of their academic programmes and admission requirements, which would help students make informed academic decisions and prepare for university life.“Through the visits we made during the camp and the various live demonstrations we participated in, such as the exercise at the radio station, I managed to overcome my fear of public speaking,” said Khadija Ali al-Khayat, a participant.Students also participated in various educational career activities, programmes and interactive training workshops to increase their awareness about the importance of academic and professional planning for their future. The activities and workshops were designed to provide students with a range of useful practical skills, enhance their self-confidence and instil entrepreneurship, perseverance and teamwork, the statement added.On the closing day, the students attended a workshop titled ‘The Role of Parents in Guiding their Children’s Career Paths’, where they explored how parents influenced their children’s decision-making and the importance of introducing the concepts of career guidance to families. The workshop also examined the Career Decision-Making Paradigm, which is a practical tool and a mental probing exercise that aims to assist individuals, particularly young people, in identifying suitable academic and career paths.