1st phase of project to produce jobs in sale, food processing, marketing at car marts, furniture upholstery.
2nd phase to focus on professional designing and decorations, readymade garments and jobs in farm segment.
Expertise of gold and silver designing project to be implemented in 2012.
MUSCAT -- The Ministry of Manpower (MoMP) is in process of generating new job opportunities for Omani women in diverse areas of specialisations that would significantly enable them to join the labour market and efficiently contribute to their economic and social welfare, says a senior official of the MoMP. The ministry plans to implement an assortment of vocational training prospects that would result in creation of many occupations for women to partake in diverse regions of the Sultanate in three phases starting from this year through 2012, said Nadia bint Rashid bin Humaid al Shukeliya, Director of Studies and Planning, MoMP.
In the 1st phase of the project, which commences from the middle of this year, the ministry will implement vocational training for creation of job opportunities for women in several areas including sales specialists, food processing, sales and marketing of car mart and, the skill of furniture upholstery. The 2nd phase of the project commencing by 2011 will encompass many programmes in the skill of professional designing and decorations, tailoring of ready made garments and an extensive project related to the agricultural segment.
The 3rd phase, which will be implemented by 2012, will extensively create job prospects for women in the expertise of gold and silver designing, which, would significantly contribute to the service demands of the Sultanate's market" stated Al Shukeliya. The creation of this kind of projects of skilled workforce in designing of gold and silver works exclusively targeting the locals of female gender will also play a major role in preserving the heritage of Omani jewellery and designs as well as equip recipients with ideas on advanced methods of designing of silver and gold jewellery, she said.
The produce will be marketed within and beyond the boundaries of the Sultanate into the global market, which would also play a role in boosting the economy and the tourism potential of the nation. The implementation of the projects is one of the results of the Women's Symposium that was held on the orders of His Majesty the Sultan as part of the Royal Camp last year. Recommendations of the symposium urged organisations concerned to work on their respective areas among which the MoMP was obliged to promote the participation of Omani women in business and economic projects.
It also called for the ministry to establish training programmes in vocational centres that would benefit girl students and women to join the labour market and to encourage them to take maximum advantage of opportunities available in small and medium size enterprises, she noted. "Once implemented, the MoMP's projects will benefit large groups of women to join the labour market. However, the implementation of the recommendations will be conducted in conjunction with other government organisations such as the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OCCI). However, she urged women to take maximum advantage of the recommendations of empowerment in both the economic and social development.
Implementation of the projects for girls will be conducted through the ministry's public vocational training centres dotted around the country notably in Seeb, Saham, Sur, Ibri and Shinas. The centres will also accommodate females of all ages provided that they are keen and capable to attend the courses that meet the labour market needs. Criteria for application will be conducted by the ministry's public vocational training centres. Remarking on the obstacles that hinder some Omani women from joining the labour market, she said: Studies indicate that the reasons that hinder Omani women from joining the labour market is because initially, most jobs were male dominated that also resulted to reduction of women participating from some training programmes.
Other obstacles are due to lack of training courses that are designated for women in the public sector and distant work places for women residing far away from Muscat Governorate, where the majority of jobs are instituted. Studies also indicate that women backed off from joining the labour market because of lack of job opportunities within their areas of reach particularly within the interior regions of the country. However, to address such problems, the ministry plans to expand its labour market in the economic sector by distributing services in other regions of the country, particularly in the interior regions, said Al Shukeriya.
By Maryam Khalfan
© Oman Daily Observer 2010
