Bedaya Center and Qatar Shell Train Volunteer Mentors for The Fifth Year of ‘Enterprise Challenge Qatar’
Oct 17, 2016
Entrepreneurship programme expected to attract over 1,200 students from across Qatar.
Doha, 17 October 2016: For the fifth consecutive year, Bedaya Center and Qatar Shell have delivered training to volunteer mentors who will in turn coach thousands of students across Qatar in ‘Enterprise Challenge Qatar’ 2016-2017.
‘Enterprise Challenge Qatar’ is a programme that encourages young people in Qatar to consider entrepreneurship as a career path by enhancing their business knowledge and equipping them with valuable business skills, such as teamwork and strategic thinking. The programme is delivered to students by volunteer mentors from a variety of professional backgrounds, including local business owners with experience in establishing and leading successful ventures.
Last year the programme reached more than 1,000 students from 25 schools and 13 universities across Qatar.
The mentors participate in a series of ‘train-the-trainer’ sessions in order to equip them with the skills needed to coach students on general business skills, as well as how to make profits in an ethical manner.
Mohammed Al-Muhanadi , one of the ‘Enterprise Challenge Qatar 2016-2017’ volunteer mentors, said: “It is an honour to be participating in ‘Enterprise Challenge Qatar’ as a volunteer mentor. This programme has a great positive impact on our younger generation as it develops entrepreneurial skills, ethics and strategic thinking. Those young students are the future leaders of Qatar, and having been chosen to be part of building this community is such a pleasure.”
The ‘Enterprise Challenge Qatar’ programme has different levels for high school and university students, and is made up of three parts: the Ethical Business Challenge, which tests participants’ ability to balance the economic, environmental and social performance of their company; the Business Simulation, which familiarises students with general business concepts from inception through trading, finance, sales, marketing and production; and the Grand Finals, where university and school teams compete to demonstrate the best business idea.
The programme will run throughout October 2016 until March 2017, with the Grand Final competition taking place in March 2017.
In 2014, the programme received special praise and recognition during the ‘UK Mentor of the Year Awards’ hosted by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales at the Sandringham Palace in the United Kingdom. In 2015, Qatar Shell and Bedaya won SDC’s Reyada ‘Outstanding Entrepreneurial Support’ Award for their support to Qatari entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized business enterprises.
The ‘Enterprise Challenge’ competition was created by Prince's Trust International, a UK-based not-for-profit organisation established by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, with a range of mentoring programmes aimed at fostering opportunities for young people. Qatar Shell is the founding partner of Prince's Trust International in Qatar, and together with Bedaya, has worked to bring the ‘Enterprise Challenge’ to Qatar.
About Qatar Shell
Shell is the largest foreign investor in Qatar investing up to $21 billion in the last 6 years. QatarEnergy and Shell delivered two of the largest energy projects in the world in Ras Laffan Industrial City. Pearl Gas to Liquids (GTL) is the world’s largest GTL plant and cements Qatar’s position as the GTL capital of the world. At an investment of $ 18 – 19 billion it is the largest single investment in the Shell Group’s global portfolio.
The Qatargas 4 Liquefied Natural Gas project (QE (70%) and Shell (30%)) combines Shell’s global leadership in LNG with Qatar’s position as the world’s largest LNG supplier.
Shell has established a world-class research and development facility and a learning centre, the Qatar Shell Research & Technology Centre, at the Qatar Science & Technology Park. Shell has a financial commitment to invest up to $100 million on programmes at the Centre over a 10-year period.
In 2010, Shell and PetroChina signed an agreement with QP to explore in the pre-Khuff interval in Block D. In December 2011 Shell and QP signed a HOA to jointly develop a world-class petrochemicals complex in Ras Laffan Industrial City.
Shell has established a world-class research and development facility and a learning centre, the Qatar Shell Research & Technology Centre, at the Qatar Science & Technology Park. Shell has a financial commitment to invest up to $100 million on programmes at the Centre over a 10-year period.
In 2010, Shell and PetroChina signed an agreement with QP to explore in the pre-Khuff interval in Block D. In December 2011 Shell and QP signed a HOA to jointly develop a world-class petrochemicals complex in Ras Laffan Industrial City.
As part of its Corporate Social Responsibility programme Qatar Shell supports enterprise by offering opportunities to local businesses to become suppliers of choice for its operations and encourages interest in entrepreneurial activity among youth.
About Bedaya Center for Entrepreneurship and Career Development
Bedaya, which means ‘starting point’ in Arabic, was established as a Center to provide young people with the ultimate entrepreneurial and career development services in Qatar.
At Bedaya Center, young people can discover which direction they wish to take, either through career development or through starting their own enterprise. Bedaya provides young people with access to a comprehensive range of youth services, training programs, support and activities each month, in order to help them achieve their career goals and develop their job skills, or to accelerate their entrepreneurial aptitude and ambitions.
Bedaya does this by developing and supporting young entrepreneurs to succeed with a business idea and also helping young people to go for career options that match their personality. Bedaya offers useful workshops to develop key business and workplace skills in leadership, communication, public speaking, project management, idea generation, in short everything needed for success in a career or business.
In career development, Bedaya advisors help to set goals and recommend useful websites, books and workshops to learn from during this process. Bedaya also presents a host of alternative possibilities for consideration such as part-time jobs, taster days, volunteering, internships and job shadowing. Candidates can then evaluate these options before making an informed decision about their chosen future career path.
For entrepreneurship, Bedaya Center offers practical help to budding entrepreneurs in evaluating their business idea by recognizing a gap in the market or creating new business niche. Bedaya advisors help candidates to put together a full business plan with market analysis, legal registration, operational plan, marketing strategy and financial projections. Bedaya also teaches candidates crucial skills such as networking, using technology and social media in marketing, branding and pitching their business to potential investors. Finally, Bedaya advises throughout the incubation period and early growth of a startup.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Farah Al Maadeed
Media Relations Manager
Qatar Shell
f.al-maadeed@shell.com
(+974 4495 7415)
Hamad Al Kuwari
Qatar Football Association
halkuwari@qfa.com.qa
(+974) 44754500