First Career Counselling Session 2025 – Combined Session at Rabia Balkhi High School and Tolo High School - International Center for Refugee and Migration Studies

The International Center for Refugee and Migration Studies (ICRMS) held its first career counselling session of the year on 15th April 2025 as a combined session for students of Rabia Balkhi High School and Tolo High School.

The session commenced with an introduction to ICRMS by Ms. Fatima, who briefed students about the Center’s foundation and mission. She highlighted that the International Center for Refugee and Migration Studies (ICRMS) was established in 2017 with the support of UNHCR and is housed at BUITEMS, a leading academic institution in Balochistan. The strategic partnership between BUITEMS and UNHCR focuses on developing a strong knowledge base on issues related to migration and displacement. Ms. Fatima also shared ongoing activities at ICRMS and the opportunities available for refugee students, including capacity-building programs and educational resources.

Following this, career counsellor Mr. Ali Zaidi conducted an interactive and insightful session that began with the fundamental question: “What is a career?” He broke down the concept into essential elements such as skills (talent/knowledge), income, and organized professional setups. The students actively engaged in the discussion, showing growing interest as the session progressed.

Mr. Ali Zaidi then introduced the students to key career decision-making concepts:

Internal Factors – Knowing oneself
External Factors – Understanding opportunities
Supporting Skills – Building competencies

To enhance self-awareness, students took part in a personality assessment test. After completing the paper-based test, Mr. Zaidi provided an in-depth explanation of various personality types—Realistic Investigators, Artistic Creatives, and Social Helpers—and discussed how students with multiple interests can align their personalities with potential career paths. He also introduced the students to the Top 10 free online course websites, encouraging them to explore learning beyond the classroom.

Adding an inspiring dimension to the session, Mr. Ali Zaidi shared success stories of prominent refugees, including Loay Elbasyouni, to demonstrate how resilience and ambition can lead to extraordinary achievements despite adversity.

The session concluded with Ms. Pashtana, another career counsellor, guiding students through the scholarship opportunities available to refugee students. She explained eligibility criteria, application processes, and the importance of academic consistency for accessing these opportunities.

The session ended with an engaging Q&A segment, where students actively posed questions about their future paths, followed by refreshments for all participants.

A total of 92 students participated in the session, including 71 female and 21 male students, reflecting strong engagement and enthusiasm from both schools.