QCDC Launches Third Edition of ‘Little Employee Initiative’

QNA

Doha: Qatar Career Development has opened registration for the third iteration of its ‘Little Employee’ initiative, a program designed to provide children with an immersive hands-on experience of a real-life workplace, in order to encourage them to think about their professional interests and future career paths in a fun and engaging way.

The third edition of the initiative by Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), a member of Qatar Foundation (QF), will provide students aged between 7 and 15 with practical experience to learn what working life is really like, by accompanying a parent or relative to their workplace and assisting them in their duties. This year’s edition is promising to be the biggest, most inclusive, and most flexible edition since the initiative launched in 2021, as registration will be open to participants from Qatar and around the world, and parents will have the chance to take their kids to work in the day that best fits their work schedule and company regulations between 19 February and 19 May, 2023.

Parents will have the opportunity to host their children at work and participate with them in the various activities designed to encourage open discussion about their academic and career goals, and to empower them to plan their career path early on. The initiative is highly flexible in regards to time and implementation and employs a unique approach to achieving its goals.

The initiative has been designed to encourage early conversations between parents and their children about their future academic and career goals, which is a vital factor in the career development of students. Abdulla Al Mansoori, QCDC Director, said: “The ‘Little Employee’ initiative is a testament to the importance and necessity of programs that can foster a career-driven mindset in students. This aligns with our mission to empower parents in shaping their children’s career identity and underscores our belief in the instrumental role parents play in this endeavor.” By engaging with parents during their workday, students will acquire a range of life skills through observational learning, as Al Mansoori explained: “The initiative aims to instill in children the fundamentals of working life, helping them develop a rough idea of their future career goals and motivating them to actively plan their career path from an early age. As parents, we play a crucial role in creating a suitable environment that supports children in developing essential organizational skills and positive behaviors. Through this initiative, children will learn the value of hard work and gain valuable insights into the world of work.” A number of Qatar’s most prominent organizations joined the initiative last year and demonstrated enormous support for its goals.

“The participation of these organizations and the efforts they put to encourage their employees to engage with its activities were vital for the success of the initiative and achieving its goals. We welcome the participation of all organizations and companies from the public and private sectors, as we aim to make the 2023 edition the biggest ever,” Al Mansoori said.

HE Secretary General of Qatar Red Crescent Society Ambassador Ali bin Hassan Al Hammadi expressed his gratitude to QCDC for organizing this initiative, saying: “Qatar Red Crescent, along with other participating state organizations, were very keen to participate in the 2022 edition of the ‘Little Employee’ initiative, organized by Qatar Career Development Center. The initiative gave us the opportunity to host the children of several staff members and officials in our headquarters.” “On this visit, the children were taken on a tour between our various departments, and listened to a brief introduction about each department and its role in the organization, as well as the professional skills needed to work in them. Our young guests were received with open arms from the Qatar Red Crescent Society family, and we were pleased to award them participation gifts, and extend them a warm welcome to encourage them to learn about the professional lives of their parents and relatives, and to start building career awareness and experience at an early age.”

قنا

الدوحة: أعلن مركز قطر للتطوير المهني، عضو مؤسسة قطر للتربية والعلوم وتنمية المجتمع، عن فتح باب التسجيل للنسخة الثالثة من مبادرته السنوية “الموظف الصغير”، التي تهدف إلى منح الأطفال فرصة خوض تجربة فريدة يستكشفون من خلالها طبيعة الحياة المهنية الواقعية، وتشجيعهم على التفكير فيما يتعلق باهتماماتهم المهنية بأسلوب شيق وممتع.

وسيتمكن الأطفال، الذين تتراوح أعمارهم بين 7 إلى 15 عاما خلال هذه المبادرة، من معايشة بيئات عمل حقيقية يكتسبون منها خبرات متعددة، وذلك عبر مرافقة أحد والديهم أو أقاربهم إلى مقر عمله، ومساعدتهم في أداء مهامهم الوظيفية.

وتعد النسخة الحالية الأكبر منذ انطلاق المبادرة قبل عامين، حيث ستكون المشاركة مفتوحة لأولياء الأمور وأطفالهم في دولة قطر وجميع أنحاء العالم، من خلال اختيار يوم العمل الذي يتناسب مع جدول أعمالهم وجهات عملهم خلال الفترة من 19 فبراير إلى 19 مايو المقبل.

وتم تصميم مبادرة “الموظف الصغير” بشكل يشجع التحاور بين أولياء الأمور وأبنائهم حول أهدافهم المستقبلية الأكاديمية والمهنية؛ نظرا لأهمية ذلك في التطوير المهني للطلاب.

وبهذا الإطار، قال السيد عبد الله المنصوري المدير التنفيذي لمركز قطر للتطوير المهني: “إن مبادرة الموظف الصغير هي خير دليل على أهمية البرامج التي تهدف إلى غرس الثقافة المهنية لدى طلابنا”، لافتا إلى أهمية تمكين أولياء الأمور والتأكيد على دورهم الفاعل في تشكيل الهوية المهنية لأطفالهم.

وأضاف: “إن تفاعل الطلاب خلال المبادرة مع أولياء أمورهم في مكان العمل سيكسبهم مهارات حياتية شتى عبر التعلم القائم على الملاحظة”، موضحا أن هدف المبادرة يكمن في ترسيخ أساسيات الحياة العملية في عقول الأطفال، من خلال مساعدتهم في تشكيل تصور مبدئي عن أهدافهم المهنية المستقبلية، وتحفيزهم على التخطيط الجاد والمبكر لمساراتهم المهنية.

من جانبه، أعرب سعادة السفير علي بن حسن الحمادي الأمين العام لجمعية الهلال الأحمر القطري، عن امتنانه لمركز قطر للتطوير المهني على تنظيم هذا البرنامج، مشيرا إلى مشاركة الهلال الأحمر القطري، إلى جانب مختلف مؤسسات الدولة، في نسخة العام الماضي من مبادرة الموظف الصغير، واستضافة عدد من أبناء الموظفين والمسؤولين في زيارة للمقر الرئيسي، وتجولهم بين قطاعات وأقسام المؤسسة، كما استمعوا إلى شرح مبسط عن تفاصيل الوظائف والإدارات المختلفة.