Good progress in Omanisation, say manpower ministry officials

Muscat: Omanisation is making good progress, but Omanis should choose specialisation which are sought after by companies, officials at the Ministry of Manpower said, at the sidelines of the Omanisation Career Fair held at the Oman International Exhibition Centre on Tuesday.
“We see that a lot of companies have realised a high level of Omanisation, especially telecommunication companies and other big companies. We would like all to follow these companies that are successful in Omanisation,” Muneera Al Hashimi, guidance and counselling specialist at the Ministry of Manpower said.
According to Sulaiman Khalili, assistant director of the Information Department at the Ministry of Manpower, the oil and gas and financial sectors have also been successful in Omanisation, at around 90 per cent, given the benefits offered in those sectors.
Other sectors, such as the construction sector, are lagging behind.
“There are still many expatriate workers and the salaries offered are not as high in other sectors, and no benefits are offered. Therefore, it is not attractive for Omanis,” he said.
This, combined with difficult working conditions, keep Omanis away from working in the sector, especially as builders.
He added that there are some construction companies that have a higher Omanisation rate, although they mainly work in administration.
Al Hashimi also explained that the Ministry was present at the Omanisation Career Fair to encourage the youth to start their own businesses with technical specialisations. “Anyone who is willing can start an own business. We want to make it clear to the Omani youth the value of these specialisations and encourage them to take up training,” she said.
She added that any job seeker, who wants to change his vocational specialisation or wants to seek self-employment opportunities, can undergo training. The duration of the courses is between one week and nine months.
The Ministry offers a general vocational education diploma, which includes courses on practical skills, technical drawing, english language, maths, physics and Chemistry, communication skills, IT and entrepreneurship.