CEO of QFBA Dr. Khalifa Al-Salahi Al-Yafei and Executive Director of QCDC, Saad Abdulla Al-Kharji during the event.
Doha, Qatar: Qatar Career Development Center (QCDC), founded by Qatar Foundation, and Qatar Finance and Business Academy (QFBA) have announced the opening of registration for the “Certified Career Advisor Preparation Programme,” a specialised professional development programme designed to strengthen career guidance practice in Qatar.
Running from November 2 to December 14, 2026, the seven-week programme targets career and academic counsellors in schools and universities, career services providers, talent acquisition specialists, and university graduates seeking employment in career guidance and counselling. It equips participants with the knowledge, tools, and applied skills needed to enhance the quality of career guidance services and keep pace with rapid changes across education and the labour market, while preparing them to pursue the Certified Career Services Provider (CCSP) credential awarded by the American National Career Development Association (NCDA).
Commenting on the launch, Executive Director of QCDC, Saad Abdulla Al-Kharji said: “Career guidance today is no longer a supporting service offered at the margins of education or employment. It is a strategic function that helps individuals make better decisions, institutions build stronger talent pipelines, and societies prepare more effectively for the future of work. Through this programme, and through our partnership with QFBA, we aim to support practitioners with the professional foundations, practical tools, and recognised standards they need to guide young people and community members with confidence and impact.”
For his part, CEO of QFBA, Dr. Khalifa Al-Salahi Al-Yafei said: “Career guidance represents a vital starting point in investing in national talent. It enables individuals to recognise their potential, align their aspirations with the evolving needs of the labour market and make well-informed decisions about their academic and professional futures. Our collaboration with QCDC reflects a shared commitment to strengthening Qatar’s career guidance ecosystem by bringing together complementary institutional and subject-matter expertise to develop qualified practitioners equipped with the knowledge, skills and professional standards required to deliver more effective and sustainable career guidance services. We believe that such strategic partnerships help foster more mature professional practices, advance human capital development and cultivate talent capable of contributing effectively to Qatar’s national priorities and development journey.”
Delivered across 13 sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays, the programme covers key areas of professional career guidance practice, including building effective helping relationships; career development theory and its application; the use of assessment in career planning; professional ethics; the design and implementation of career planning services; training and group facilitation; career guidance for school students; job search skills and employability; career information and technology resources; and cultural diversity.
