Muscat: Private companies across the Sultanate have been encouraged by the Ministry of Labour to take advantage of the 'Khibrat' initiative which offers a stipended training programme for young Omanis looking for employment and further career development.
This one year ‘on the Job’ training with employers will be funded by the Ministry of Labour through Stipends with no financial obligation on the companies. These companies can also consider these young men and women with great potential and ambition as part of their team who contributes to their productivity and as well as meet Omanisation requirements.
Khibrat, a collaboration between Government Ministries is aimed at enhancing the employability skills of higher diploma holders and graduates and preparing them for work by ensuring CV’s are ‘fit for purpose’ as well as preparing them for job interviews. Soft Skills including time management, working as part of a team, work ethics and communication skills are also delivered on this 5 day intensive Khibrat programme. This is to ensure these Key soft skills are understood, adhered to and can be demonstrated once in the workplace across the various industry sectors.
The best 600 candidates have been selected from over 7000 who applied after a robust online assessment process. These 600 were able to meet the criteria set by the Ministry of Labour on abilities, skills as well as work based knowledge and understanding.
Speaking to the Observer, Nadia Rashid al Maharbi (pictured), Head of Public Private Partnership (PPP) at the Ministry of Labour said that the pilot project would see 600 Omani men and women get employed in various industry sectors.
"The Khibrat initiative launched in September, will assist and support 600 Omani men and women from across the country who are higher diploma holders as well as graduates into different private companies across different industry sectors after a week-long Khibrat workshop ."
On completion of the 5 day Khibrat programme, these candidates are issued with a Khibrat card that demonstrates their readiness to work and eligibility for the one year funded training once they are taken on by companies. This can also reassure companies that the best candidates from the thousands who applied for the Khibrat programme have been carefully chosen and are ready and willing to start work with some additional soft keys acquired from the programme. The programme is delivered in different regions by Wabas Enterprise and investments who are experts in delivering these types of programmes. This is to encourage candidates to apply for jobs with companies based in their region as well as other possible opportunities outside their regions.
Private companies be they large, small or medium organisations as well as these young Omanis are poised to benefit from this programme which seeks to provide the local manpower with sustainable training in a varied spectrum of areas vis-a-vis the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR), Omanisation as well as productivity in various industrial sectors as identified by MoL Labour Market Intelligence (LMI).
The company will only be asked to pay the PASI fees during the training period. After the training period which include follow up visits as well as support for and with the trainee and the employer in the first year, the trainee will be recruited by the company. The candidates will be registered with the MoL from the start of the training as an employee.
"The Khibrat initiative also boosts morale and gives these young men and women the confidence and the ability to approach companies they may have thought they could never approach," she added.
"With Khibrat, these young men and women are ready to demonstrate their enthusiasm, motivation, focus as well as their skills and abilities and contribute to the continued success of companies all over Oman."
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