Qatar career fair calls for greater alliances between educational institutions and related businesses that support Qatari youth development

More than 55 percent of visitors at QCF 2013 were students aged 16 to 26

Around 45 percent of visitors were seeking career guidance

15 May, 2013, DOHA

At the4^th Education Partnership workshop held today at Texas A&M University in Qatar (TAMUQ), Qatar Career Fair(QCF), member of Qatar Foundation, presented preliminary findings on the results of QCF 2013, which indicated that young Qataris stand to benefit from increased educational collaborations between key constituents in the sector. The attendees,who included representatives from Hamad bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Supreme Education Council (SEC) amongst others, were in agreement that strategic partnerships offering tailored educational opportunities have significant impact in spreading career awareness amongst young Qataris and encouraging them to pursue higher education with greater ease. 

In his opening remarks, Abdulla Al Mansoori, Executive Director, QCF said, "Over 55 percent of visitors at QCF 2013 were students who were at the prime age to make important career path choices. Some 45 percent of visitors wereseeking career guidance. This is a clear indication that there needs to be increased career building opportunities for students to help them make better choices at the time that they need it most.

"The most effective method is for key education institutions and related businesses to form on-going strategic partners that offer students continuous and accessible programs that meet their needs", added Al Mansoori. 

QCF highlighted its recent partnership with HBKU in an effort to provide joint career guidance, orientation, training and development programs for students. Dr Khalid Al Khanji, Vice President Student Affairs at the Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) commented, "Academic guidance is extremely important in schools because that is the point at which students have to make important decisions about the next stage of their academic lives. Theyneed to be given important knowledge on the labour market, especially in terms of the skill requirements and training and development opportunities required to prepare them for the next step".

"As such, Academic Advisors play a crucial role in the educational process, and it is up to education institutions and related parties to provide more avenues for them to engage with students and help them overcome some of the concerns they face at this stage of their education." Dr Al Khanji added.

During the event Abdulla Al Mulla, QCF's Activities and Volunteers Officer, shared key initiatives that it has in the pipeline for the year. Amongst them is a career-development summer camp that aims to introduce career building components to students in an engaging and interactive environment. It is the first initiative of this kind by QCF and is expected to be well-received by students, parents and partners alike. 

Over 66 thousand visitors attended the fair this year, making it the most successful edition to date. However, the final outcomes and findings will be determined over the course of the year once all participating companies have submitted their data.

-Ends-

© Press Release 2013