Doha: Minister of Social Development and Family H E Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser Al Misnad inaugurated first edition of the career day for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism, in the presence of  Minister of Labour H E Dr. Ali bin Smaikh Al Marri.

Organised by the Ministry of Social Development and Family (MSDF)’s Shafallah Center for Persons with Disabilities, the career day is a firs-of-its-kind exhibition that empowers persons with disabilities (PWDs) and draws supporters and partners to get familiarised with the abilities of PWDs and people with autism, along with the services the center provides to help them include in the society through offering job opportunities that best suit their talents.

Accompanied by acting director of Civil Service and Government Development Bureau (CGB), Saif bin Ali Al Kaabi,  the Minister of Social Development and Family, alongside the Minister of Labour toured several corners of the expo that showcase the most important professions in which the center’s affiliates had been trained.

Al Misnad toured a special corner for coffee making run by several of the center’s affiliates and was briefed on a workshop for Shafallah grocery, where affiliates produce many products and sell them out, in addition to the center’s operation in the production line of Qatar Airways, Al Meera and Mahaseel sell products. The Minister also toured a cooking workshop offered by the center’s affiliates and is supervised by chef Nouf Al Marri.

Executive Director of the Shafallah Center , Maryam Saif Al Suwaidi said the organisation of the career day for persons with intellectual disabilities and autism primarily intends to broaden the horizons of shared collaboration through a whole-of-government approach and invite HR managers and recruitment personnel operating in a variety of sectors nationwide to visit Shafallah Center and get familiarised with the abilities of PWDs and people with autism to open new training tracks and ensure provision of production lines and an environment conducive that help them receive suitable jobs in diverse sectors, in addition to promoting the awareness of employers and recruitment staff on how to deal with PWDs in workplaces.

Assistant Undersecretary for National Manpower Affairs at the Ministry of Labour (MoL), Shaikha Abdulrahman Al Badi said MoL is committed to empowering PWDs professionally and ensuring appropriate jobs for them to build their self-independence and to include them in the labour market both in the public and private enterprises.