23 December 2010
MUSCAT: As part of social investment initiatives in Oman and towards its extended support to government efforts in finding appropriate employment opportunities for young Omani job seekers, Shell Development Oman yesterday signed several employment-oriented agreements with institutions, to train more than 100 young Omanis with a cost running to over RO230,000.
Two agreements were signed with the Public Authority for Craft Industries. The first is to train 20 young general diploma graduates from the Sharqiya region in khanjar and silverware crafting.
The second agreement is to train 20 other general diploma graduates from Al Wusta region in the extraction of natural colours.
Natural colour characteristics are known for its permanence and difficulty to change over time unlike manufactured colours. The establishment of a centre for natural colour extraction is considered as a first of its kind in the Sultanate, and will provide benefit to all the craft industries centres across the Sultanate of Oman, by supplying such natural colours, which is required in the majority of Omani handcrafted works such as palm trees handicrafts, leather work, and textiles.
Craft industry
It will also act as a local supplier of materials needed for yarn article spinning which are mostly used by the craft industry centres in Oman rather than importing such materials from other countries.
The establishment of this colour extraction centre will provide employment opportunity for the 20 trainees as a first stage.
Nonetheless, it will provide a source for obtaining such a natural material for both domestic and external markets.
Another agreement was signed with Oman Society for Petroleum Services (OPAL) and Arabian Institute for Financial and Administrative Studies to train 34 young Omanis from Al Batinah region to take up the role of 'debt collectors.'
The training institute and OPAL will ensure the employment of the trainees in a number of private sector establishments once they successfully complete their training programme.
This programme, with seven-month duration, is aimed to equip the trainees with the skills needed for debt collection. In addition, the programme will provide them with the sufficient skills in English, information technology, time management, health, safety and environment, communications and basic mathematics and statistics.
Another agreement was also signed with the Art of Beauty Institute to train 30 diploma graduate girls from both the governorates of Muscat and Musandam and the interior and Batinah regions as part of the initiative 'to support and empower Omani women in the field of cosmetics - beautiful life' where this programme will enable these girls to start their own beauty saloons in their homes without bearing the burden of opening their businesses in external premises. The girls will be trained through a program approved by the Ministry of Manpower.
Social investment
Shaikha Tamima al Mahrouqi, Director General of Planning and Development at Public Authority for Craft Industries (PACI) signed the agreement on behalf of her organisation.
Hilal al Mawali, general kanager-External Affairs of Shell Development Oman signed on behalf of the company. Further, Hamid al Bahri, represented OPAL, Mohammed al Nomani represented Arabian Institute for Financial and Administrative Studies and Adil Benjelloun represented Art of Beauty Institute.
"We are pleased to finance these training programmes, which aim to create jobs for a large number of young jobseekers. These agreements are part of Shell's training for employment programmes," said said Hilal Al Mawali.
MUSCAT: As part of social investment initiatives in Oman and towards its extended support to government efforts in finding appropriate employment opportunities for young Omani job seekers, Shell Development Oman yesterday signed several employment-oriented agreements with institutions, to train more than 100 young Omanis with a cost running to over RO230,000.
Two agreements were signed with the Public Authority for Craft Industries. The first is to train 20 young general diploma graduates from the Sharqiya region in khanjar and silverware crafting.
The second agreement is to train 20 other general diploma graduates from Al Wusta region in the extraction of natural colours.
Natural colour characteristics are known for its permanence and difficulty to change over time unlike manufactured colours. The establishment of a centre for natural colour extraction is considered as a first of its kind in the Sultanate, and will provide benefit to all the craft industries centres across the Sultanate of Oman, by supplying such natural colours, which is required in the majority of Omani handcrafted works such as palm trees handicrafts, leather work, and textiles.
Craft industry
It will also act as a local supplier of materials needed for yarn article spinning which are mostly used by the craft industry centres in Oman rather than importing such materials from other countries.
The establishment of this colour extraction centre will provide employment opportunity for the 20 trainees as a first stage.
Nonetheless, it will provide a source for obtaining such a natural material for both domestic and external markets.
Another agreement was signed with Oman Society for Petroleum Services (OPAL) and Arabian Institute for Financial and Administrative Studies to train 34 young Omanis from Al Batinah region to take up the role of 'debt collectors.'
The training institute and OPAL will ensure the employment of the trainees in a number of private sector establishments once they successfully complete their training programme.
This programme, with seven-month duration, is aimed to equip the trainees with the skills needed for debt collection. In addition, the programme will provide them with the sufficient skills in English, information technology, time management, health, safety and environment, communications and basic mathematics and statistics.
Another agreement was also signed with the Art of Beauty Institute to train 30 diploma graduate girls from both the governorates of Muscat and Musandam and the interior and Batinah regions as part of the initiative 'to support and empower Omani women in the field of cosmetics - beautiful life' where this programme will enable these girls to start their own beauty saloons in their homes without bearing the burden of opening their businesses in external premises. The girls will be trained through a program approved by the Ministry of Manpower.
Social investment
Shaikha Tamima al Mahrouqi, Director General of Planning and Development at Public Authority for Craft Industries (PACI) signed the agreement on behalf of her organisation.
Hilal al Mawali, general kanager-External Affairs of Shell Development Oman signed on behalf of the company. Further, Hamid al Bahri, represented OPAL, Mohammed al Nomani represented Arabian Institute for Financial and Administrative Studies and Adil Benjelloun represented Art of Beauty Institute.
"We are pleased to finance these training programmes, which aim to create jobs for a large number of young jobseekers. These agreements are part of Shell's training for employment programmes," said said Hilal Al Mawali.
© Times of Oman 2010
