‘QCDC serves as a link betweeneducation and labour market'
Doha
Executive Director of the Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC) Saad Abdullah Al Kharji has affirmed the Centre's pivotal role as a strategic bridge between education and the labour market.
He said that QCDC supports generations of students in preparing for future career paths through a comprehensive, year-round system of interactive programmes that span all stages of career development, from academic achievement to professional integration.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency (QNA), Al Kharji emphasised the Centre's belief in the importance of early career intervention.
He explained that QCDC implements a series of immersive career exploration initiatives, starting with the Little Employee programme. Over five editions, this initiative has engaged more than 2,000 children aged seven to 15, allowing them to accompany their parents to work and introducing them to foundational workplace concepts.
Al Kharji also highlighted the Career Village event, which, in its latest edition, brought together over 40 public and private sector entities, including key players from various vital economic sectors. Since its inception in 2017, Career Village has provided hands-on, simulated career experiences to more than 12,000 high school students over six consecutive editions.
He described Career Village as the first step in a student's journey of self-discovery, followed by the My Career - My Future programme, which offers a week-long internship experience tailored to students' academic and professional interests.
The programme has so far trained over 500 male and female students, logging more than 12,000 cumulative training hours. A significantly expanded version of the programme is set to launch on Sunday, July 6, with more than 250 students placed across 25 organisations representing diverse sectors such as medicine, aviation, energy, media, communications, finance, business administration, judiciary, tourism, sports management, technology, engineering, humanitarian work, and other fields aligned with Qatar's sustainable development goals.
Al Kharji noted that these programmes are part of a broader portfolio of professional services offered by QCDC, including the Dalila programme, which delivers personalised career guidance sessions.
He also referenced the Your Professional Guide magazine, currently preparing its 16th issue for release at the start of the 2025/2026 academic year, and pointed to specialised workshops organised at the request of institutions.
Discussing QCDC's role in narrowing the gap between academic education and labour market needs, he underscored the value of experiential learning, field guidance, and awareness campaigns. These initiatives, he said, help students connect theoretical knowledge with practical application, thus supporting one of the core pillars of Qatar National Vision 2030: human capital development.
He described the Centre as a key contributor to preparing a skilled and adaptable national workforce.
On sector prioritisation, Al Kharji explained that QCDC targets two main groups of industries. The first includes strategic sectors like energy, manufacturing, finance, aviation, transport, and advanced healthcare, which form the backbone of Qatar's economy. The second group encompasses emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, big data, renewable energy, fintech, and sports, sectors brimming with promising future opportunities.
He noted that these selections are based on labour market analysis, consultations with education and labour stakeholders, and QCDC-conducted surveys that reflect youth interests and aspirations.
He also elaborated on the Centre's adoption of an integrated, diagnostic approach to career guidance. This is powered by an advanced electronic system that incorporates psychological assessments, personality analysis, and customised recommendations. Through the Dalila programme, students receive five individualised sessions, culminating in concrete academic and career action plans.
Evaluation studies, he said, have shown a measurable increase in students' awareness levels following participation.
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