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More than 700 students took part in Qatar Career Development Center's (QCDC) 'Little Employee' initiative during this week's school mid-term break, joining their parents and relatives at workplaces across the country, Qatar Career Development Centre (QCDC) has announced in a statement.Organised by QCDC, founded by Qatar Foundation (QF), 'Little Employee' enables children aged 7-15 to spend a full working day in real-world environments alongside parental role models.This initiative builds early career awareness and strengthening family engagement in career conversations. It is designed with flexible scheduling, allowing families and institutions to make the most of both school breaks and regular workdays.This week's surge signals national momentum to use school breaks for structured career exploration, building curiosity, transferable skills, and early informed choices in support of Qatar's human-capital agenda. After engaging 500 children in 2024, participation has more than doubled in 2025, reflecting stronger public and institutional recognition of the initiative's value."This week's turnout shows what is possible when families, institutions, and the wider community invest in our children," said Saad Abdulla al-Kharji, Executive Director of QCDC. "By opening their doors during the mid-term break, partners across government, media, finance, education, and civil society provided meaningful, age-appropriate exposure to the world of work. They are helping turn education into competence and build a future-ready workforce aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030. We thank all participating entities for championing early career development and community partnership," he added.Now in its fifth edition, 'Little Employee' offers streamlined pathways for families and employers. QCDC provides interactive workshops and step-by-step guides to structure the day and embed the initiative into CSR and youth-engagement plans. QCDC calls on companies, government and semi-government entities, and NGOs to host additional days this period and in upcoming breaks.Organizations and parents/guardians can enroll children by visiting QCDC's official website.

The Ministry of Sports and Youth (MSY), in collaboration with the Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), has launched the second cohort of the third edition of the "Get Ready" program, with the participation of affiliates from the Dreama Orphan Care Center, alongside secondary school students. Running through October 2, the program intends to provide participants with essential academic and career guidance to help them select university majors and future pathways aligned with their interests, capabilities, and the needs of the labor market. The move is part of MSY's contribution to energizing the nation's efforts to build a robust education system that bolsters Qatar's leading role both on the regional and global stages, epitomizing the commitment of both the ministry and QCDC to investing in young people's energies and preparing them to take on the mantle of future leadership and contribute to advancing the homeland and serving society. The program serves as a vital strategic platform highlighting local and international universities and available scholarship opportunities, while also strengthening youth skills in building networks and professional relationships. This directly facilitates their seamless transition from secondary education to university and professional life, enhancing their readiness to actively engage in the labor market and contribute to sustainable development. The training sessions are held daily at the Education City Student Center Forum premises under the superintendence of the MSY's Youth Affairs Department, with the engagement of professional trainers from QCDC. The program broadly focuses on strengthening professional awareness and serving the local community, while supporting students in aligning their academic interests with their future aspirations. QCDC's Executive Director, Saad Al Kharji, said that streamlining the transition from secondary school to the university level is extremely important for comprehensive development and the success of future young people. He added that the program is a strategic initiative that enables students to navigate this critical phase with confidence and awareness, emphasizing that enlightened academic decisions that observe students' interests and capabilities represent the groundwork for a successful career life. This program is a product of the QCDC-MSY collaboration and underscores both parties' commitment to fostering partnerships with a variety of public and private entities, thereby contributing to entrenching the professional culture of young people and serving the community at home, he underlined. For his part, Director of MSY's Youth Affairs Department, Fawaz Abdullah Al Musaifri, said the program contributes to empowering Qatari young people and upscaling their capabilities, in alignment with the ministry's vision of cultivating an informed and proactive generation imbued with a deep sense of patriotism. The program grows students' awareness about the importance of opting for the appropriate college major, in addition to imbuing them with practical skills such as drafting resumes and personal statements, which ultimately help them effectively engage in the community and labor market, Al Musaifri highlighted. Overall, the program is distilled into key themes, foremost of which are internalizing self-awareness, personal skills, work values and ethics, gaining a glimpse of global universities and scholarship programs, in addition to forging a network of professional relationships.

The Ministry of Sports and Youth, in cooperation with the Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), launched the third edition of the Get Ready program, which will run until Sept. 18, 2025, with the participation of high school students.The program aims to provide young people with the academic and professional guidance necessary to help them choose university majors and future paths that align with their interests, abilities, and labor market needs.It also provides a platform to introduce students to local and international universities and scholarship opportunities, develop professional networking skills, and ensure a smooth transition from high school to university and the job market.In this context, Director of the Youth Affairs Department at the Ministry of Sports and Youth Fawaz Al Musaifri said Get Ready empowers Qatari youth and builds their capabilities in line with the Ministry's vision to nurture a responsible, engaged generation with a strong national ethos.The program raises awareness about choosing the right university major, introduces national and international universities and scholarship opportunities, and develops practical skills, such as crafting CVs and personal statements, that help young people participate effectively in society and the workforce.For his part, the Executive Director of QCDC, Saad Al Kharji, emphasized that facilitating the transition from high school to university is a key factor in the success and comprehensive development of our youth, indicating that the Get Ready program is a strategic step that enables students to navigate this critical stage with confidence and awareness, and to make informed academic decisions that take into account their interests, abilities, and future aspirations.The program's training sessions are held daily at Multaqa (Education City Student Center), under the supervision of the Youth Development and Affairs Department at the Ministry of Sports and Youth, and with the participation of specialized trainers from QCDC.The program focuses on spreading professional awareness and serving the local community, in addition to supporting students in linking their academic interests with their future aspirations.The launch of the Get Ready program comes as part of the Ministry of Sports and Youth's efforts to support the country's efforts to build a pioneering education system that enhances Qatar's regional and international standing, as it embodies the Ministry and the Center's commitment to investing in the energies of young people, enabling them to acquire the academic and professional skills necessary to choose appropriate specializations and capitalize on available opportunities to serve their future and contribute to the nation's progress.The training program includes key topics, most notably self-knowledge and personal skills, work values and ethics, writing a CV and personal statement, learning about international universities and scholarship programs, and building a professional network.

The Qatar Career Development Centre (QCDC), founded by Qatar Foundation (QF), launched on Tuesday the 2025 edition of the Career Counsellors Hub at Multaqa, Education City, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education (MoEHE), the US embassy in Doha, and QF Higher Education. The two-day programme brings together 200 counsellors from public and private schools across Qatar, alongside counselors from Education City institutions, to strengthen career guidance and student support nationwide. The opening ceremony was attended by QCDC executive director Saad Abdulla al-Kharji and representatives from the MoEHE, including Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs Maha Zayed al-Ruwaili and Schools and Student Affairs Department director Maryam al-Nisf al-Buainain. Others at the launch included Stefanie Altman-Winans, the chargé d’affaires at the US embassy; QF Higher Education president Francisco J Marmolejo; and Abeer al-Khalifa, the president of Pre-University Education (PUE). The Hub’s opening programme featured remarks from QCDC leadership and partner institutions, followed by a high-level panel on maximising the role of career counsellors in Qatar’s human resources development strategy. The agenda continued with bilingual training sessions, interactive workshops, and a networking exhibition connecting counselors with universities, government bodies, and education organisations. The high-level panel brought together Qatar Finance and Business Academy chief executive Dr Khalifa al-Yafei, former president of Qatar University HE Prof Sheikha Abdulla al-Misnad, the Civil Service and Government Development Bureau’s Civil Service Affairs director Yaqoub Saleh al-Ishaq, and Assistant Undersecretary for Educational Affairs al-Ruwaili. The session was moderated by career development expert Dr Hamda Hamad al-Naemi, and examined how unified standards, enhanced counselor capacity-building, and school-university-employer linkages can translate national strategies into daily impact for students. “Career Counselors Hub is where policy meets practice,” said QCDC executive director al-Kharji. In her address at the Hub, al-Ruwaili noted that the Hub “has become an essential platform for exchanging experience and best practices – empowering students to chart their academic and career paths in an informed and deliberate manner”. "The US embassy is proud to collaborate with Qatari institutions, including the dedicated hosts of this Counselors’ Hub, to connect students with opportunities to study, research, and innovate in Qatar and the US," said Altman-Winans. “Counsellors play a vital role in guiding and supporting students as they take their next steps into higher education, and we are deeply grateful for the partnership we share with them,” said Marmolejo. “At Qatar Foundation’s Education City, we are proud to offer a unique environment where world-class universities, research, and student life come together to empower young people.” The Hub is positioned as an operational pillar of the national career guidance ecosystem developed by the QCDC with MoEHE and partner institutions. It standardises counselor capacity-building, promotes evidence-based tools, and strengthens pathways between schools, higher education, and employers, supporting the Human Development pillar of Qatar National Vision 2030.

Qatar Museums (QM) announced its participation in the fifth edition of the “Little Employee” initiative, organised by Qatar Foundation’s Qatar Career Development Centre (QCDC), by hosting 35 children of QM staff for a full day of job-shadowing and hands-on learning on Wednesday.Throughout the day, children accompanied their parents and relatives across front-of-house and behind-the-scenes functions – observing how multidisciplinary teams collaborate to deliver exhibitions, protect collections, and serve visitors – while reinforcing the role of families as first career counselors.In a press statement, QM chief executive Mohammed Saad al-Rumaihi said: “At the QM, we believe career awareness should begin at an early stage, and be rooted in meaningful, inspiring experiences.”“By opening our working spaces,” he continued, “we provide the young generation with a unique glimpse into museums as dynamic environments – where administrators, historians, designers, conservators, and technologists collaborate in pursuit of a shared cultural mission, especially during this landmark year of which we celebrate our 20th year anniversary and two decades of cultural legacy, marked by Evolution Nation.”“We extend our gratitude the QCDC for the opportunity to help spark this awareness today, so that together we can nurture the talent that will sustain Qatar’s creative industries tomorrow,” al-Rumaihi said.The QM took part in the initiative to spotlight the breadth of meaningful careers that shape Qatar’s cultural and creative sectorsFrom conservation science and curatorial research to exhibition design, education, visitor experience, communications, and digital content, the initiative highlighted the wide range of professional pathways available in the field.The initiative closely aligns with the QM’s Education Learning and Outreach strategy, and reinforces efforts to build a diversified, knowledge-based economy as outlined in Qatar National Vision 2030.By promoting early, hands- on career exploration, the QM remains committed to inspiriting the next generation of cultural leaders and innovators.“We thank the QM for joining the Little Employee family and promoting early career development,” QCDC executive director Saad Abdulla al-Kharji said. “When leading institutions welcome children into authentic work settings, they help families guide informed academic and career decisions and inspire the next generation to contribute meaningfully to a knowledge-driven economy.”“Little Employee” is open to students worldwide and can be scheduled on any working day, offering flexibility for families and organisations.The programme introduces youth aged 7-15 to real workplace environments and encourages constructive dialogue at home about education and career choices.