QATAR Career Fair (QCF), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), recently concluded its youth empowerment program “QCF Ambassadors”. Taking part in the program were 236 high school students from over 18 independent schools, as well as of a number of academic supervisors and career guidance counselors. Building on QCF's mission to empower and invest in the youth, while molding them into future leaders, the program, which was launched early last March at Hamad bin Khalifa University's (HBKU) Student Centre, aimed to shape and develop the skills and capabilities of students. It also promoted the importance of career advancement, professional planning, and specialization choices through a series of training sessions, workshops, and activities. Drawing inspiration from QCF's motto, ‘Your Future In Your Hands', the program was designed to foster a supportive and stimulating environment in order to encourage Qatari youth to contribute to the growth and advancement of community. It supports QF's strategic objective to unlock human potential and equip Qatar's youth with the educational capacities, and personal development and leadership skills to enable the nation achieve a knowledge-based economy, as per the Qatar National Vision 2030. Commenting on the success of the initiative, Abdulla Al Mansoori, Director of Qatar Career Fair, said: “The QCF Ambassadors program is one of many year-round initiatives, activities, and platforms that the Qatar Career Fair is spearheading, lending a hand to Qatari youth and guiding them into smart career choices that will reflect positively on their academic and professional paths.” Students attended a host of diverse workshops that took place over a period of two months, focusing on topics such as Life Skills, Leadership, Project Management, Career Development, and Entrepreneurship. Training participants on how to prepare resumes, conduct job interviews, deliver presentations, and build confidence and critical thinking capabilities, the program also gave students an understanding of the local labor market developments and needs, as well as exposure to different work environments and specializations in Qatar. QCF's ground-breaking youth empowerment program offered access to internship, training and development opportunities at leading and established entities and institutions in Qatar, which were specifically matched to each of the participants' career ambitions. Through such programs, QCF is instilling a culture of proactivity, initiative, leadership, creativity, and innovation among Qatari students, asserted Al Mansoori. He added that every participant will become an ambassador for QCF, spreading and promoting the program's messages and outcomes in their school communities, ensuring wide-reaching awareness around career development for Qatari students. Following the success of the program, QCF's next step is to target college students and other academic levels. — SG
