Doha, May 24 (QNA) - Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), founded by Qatar Foundation (QF), concluded the sixth edition of its flagship career exploration initiative, Career Village.

Held in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and the Ministry of Labour, the three-day event welcomed 2,058 students from 125 schools, connecting them with 200 career counselors and 37 leading organizations across 13 vital sectors of Qatar’s economy.

Now recognized as one of the country’s leading platforms for experiential career learning, Career Village 2025 provided students with hands-on exposure to career paths in fields including Security, Public Administration, Aviation and Aeronautics, Technology, Education, Finance Investment and Banking, Energy, Manufacturing and Retail, Transportation and Logistics, Medicine, Humanitarian and Social Work, Media and Public Relations, as well as Hospitality and Tourism.

The initiative is part of QCDC’s wider efforts to bridge the gap between education and employment and to support Qatar’s Third National Development Strategy (2024–2030) and Qatar National Vision 2030, which emphasize preparing youth for a diversified and knowledge-based economy.

The final day of the event featured a high-profile panel discussion titled "From Guidance to Employment: The Role of Academic Counseling in Supporting Students’ Paths to the Private Sector."

The session directly addressed the national priority of increasing Qatari participation in private-sector employment, following the recent enactment of Law No. (12) of 2024 on Job Nationalization in the Private Sector.

It brought together over 75 career and academic counselors from schools across Qatar, with panelists from the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Commercial Bank of Qatar, and a young program graduate now employed in the hospitality sector. Discussions explored how career guidance within schools can serve as a critical entry point for nationalization efforts.

Throughout the three days, students engaged with sector professionals, explored training opportunities, and learned about workplace expectations and demands through simulations, workshops, and guidance sessions.

Since its launch in 2017, Career Village has impacted more than 12,000 students, steadily becoming a cornerstone of QCDC’s strategy to cultivate a future-ready workforce. (QNA)