GU-Q invites high schools to participate in innovative career decision programme

By the Editorial Team · Friday, September 11, 2026

Georgetown University in Qatar, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, is launching an interactive career exploration program this fall for over 1,500 high school students to engage in real-world job simulations. The initiative aims to enhance students’ understanding of career paths and align their education choices with labor market demands, with participating schools receiving ongoing access to the program and data insights.

This fall, high school students across Qatar will have the opportunity to engage in an innovative career exploration program designed to help them better understand study and career decision-making processes. The initiative, led by economists at Georgetown University in Qatar (GU-Q) and supported by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, aims to align education more closely with the demands of the labor market.

The program, titled "What Do Jobs Really Look Like?", will recruit over 1,500 students from grades 9 and 10 to participate in interactive online workshops that simulate real-world job tasks. These tasks are directly sourced from a comprehensive database containing more than 17,000 actual job postings, ensuring that the activities reflect authentic work experiences.

Each workshop focuses on one of six broad career categories corresponding to common college major fields. Students will be asked to perform practical tasks related to each sector. For instance, those exploring careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) will undertake data analysis and scientific problem-solving exercises. Health and medicine activities feature patient communication and health assessment scenarios. Education-focused workshops include lesson planning and communication tasks, while the business and economics track involves negotiation and financial analysis. Arts and humanities participants engage in cultural interpretation and creative production, and social sciences workshops emphasize policy reasoning and behavioral analysis.

The workshops will take place at partnering schools, which provide the necessary space and support. Prior to the activities, students will complete surveys to establish baseline data about their career preferences and beliefs. After the sessions, follow-up surveys will assess any shifts in their educational and career outlooks. Each student will receive an individualized report summarizing their performance and insights gained during the workshops, along with a modest financial incentive for their participation.

In addition to benefiting students, participating schools will retain access to the six-workshop platform free of charge after the study’s conclusion. Schools will also receive anonymized reports summarizing cohort-level data, offering valuable insights into their students’ career interests and capabilities.

The project is funded by a grant from the Qatar Research, Development and Innovation (QRDI) Council under the Life-Long Education Call. It is implemented in partnership with Education Above All and Strategy Hub, and endorsed by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

Schools interested in joining the 2026–2027 program rollout can reach out to the project team via sg1575@georgetown.edu for further information. The initiative is spearheaded by GU-Q Professor Dr. Santiago García-Couto, who leads the research efforts to understand how immersive, task-based experiences influence young people’s choices regarding education and careers.

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