Doha: Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), plays a major role in creating an inclusive work environment in Qatar.
The centre has introduced and implemented several initiatives to integrate everyone into the job market.
QCDC’s programmes have a specific focus on developing skills of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and those with learning difficulties, and integrating them into the job market in Qatar and region.
QCDC’s programmes and services are focused on developing the career guidance system in Qatar and enhancing the role of career development in building human capital that can sustainably achieve Qatar national Vision 2030, Director of QCDC Abdullah Al Mansoori told The Peninsula.
Among QCDC’s programmes, the Inclusive Internship Days initiative at QF, enabling students to gain practical experience and learn about the work environment while applying the skills they learned during the Career Readiness programme.
“QCDC aims to expand this initiative on a broader scale in the coming years to develop a more inclusive employment culture and engage more individuals with disabilities in training institutions at the national level,” said Al Mansoori.
Also promoting inclusive employment was a major focus of the Career Guidance Stakeholders Platform, which was organised by QCDC in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the International Labour Organization’s Qatar Project Office, and the Higher Education Sector at QF.
“This platform brought together various stakeholders involved in career guidance in Qatar to share knowledge and best practices that support career guidance as a means of achieving personal, social, educational, and economic success for Qatari youth and the broader community.
“One of the platform’s primary objectives was to develop an overarching framework that involves all relevant stakeholders to enhance the transition of persons with disabilities from secondary education to the workforce,” he added.
QCDC’s ‘Career Readiness’ programme has been incorporated into the curriculum of Awsaj Academy, a specialised school that addresses the needs of students with mild to moderate learning needs. It aims at equipping students with key employability skills.
QCDC also makes continuous efforts to promote inclusiveness in workplaces and aims to raise awareness among all sectors of society about the importance of an inclusive work environment through online and digital platforms. Over the past two years, QCDC has organised a series of specialised webinars during Autism Awareness Month, which featured inspiring international figures who have lived with autism and built successful careers.
“This year, QCDC collaborated with Dr. Shore, Dr. Robert Naseef, a psychologist and autism spectrum expert, Dr. Stephen Shore Adelphi University Special Education Professor and a team of experts in career guidance and development to launch a programme supporting the employment of people with disabilities,” said Al Mansoori.
“The programme aimed to train professional counsellors, educators, and human resource professionals to use international best practices adapted to Qatar’s unique context in supporting individuals with mild to moderate learning difficulties and cognitive challenges. Participants in the programme included school counsellors, parents, community partners, professional development partners, employers, and families of neurodiverse students from across the country.”
Many programmes and initiatives of QCDC were expanded beyond Qatar and have attracted participants from the Gulf and Arab countries. Recently, QCDC presented a research paper titled ‘Enhancing the Inclusion of People with Disabilities in Qatar’s Labour Market’ at the first Arab Career Development Conference in Aswan, Egypt. The paper highlighted QCDC’s intensive efforts in promoting a culture of inclusive employment in Qatar, successes achieved, and challenges faced.
“All these accomplishments give rise to an optimistic outlook for the future of individuals with ASD in Qatar. To overcome current challenges, stakeholders must step up their efforts to produce results that contribute to maximising the potential of every member of society, starting with families of individuals with ASD, employers, and the broader community,” Al Mansoori added.
