MUSCAT : The event was held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Mahad Said Ba’Owain, Minister of Labour.

The forum’s agenda included a panel discussion on the impact of the ‘Makeen’ initiative on its participants and on the digital economy sector in the Sultanate of Oman.

It also featured the signing of three memoranda of understanding (MoUs): The first to implement Oman Coding Competition. It was inked between the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and the Coding Academy. The second MoU was on cooperation in professional video game development, inked between the Ministry and Unity Technologies; and the third to support employment in the technology sector, inked between the Ministry and Sohar Bank.

At his address, His Excellency Dr. Ali Amir Al Shithani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology, stated that the ‘Makeen’ initiative represents a fundamental pillar in building the digital economy by equipping Omani talent with advanced digital skills and enhancing their competitiveness in the labour market.

He explained that the initiative has contributed to raising the Omanisation rate in the information technology sector to 45.5 percent, employing 2,790 Omanis, and achieving a 69 percent rate in specialized and technical roles. Additionally, 4,949 Omanis have been introduced into sector professions, reflecting a tangible improvement in the readiness of national talent.

He noted that the impact of the ‘Makeen’ initiative has extended beyond employment to include the development of emerging technology industries. The semiconductor sector has witnessed notable growth, with over 150 Omani engineers and five start-up companies. This has been accompanied by the expansion of programs and investments that have helped create new specializations within the local market.

Moreover, the drone sector has advanced through the implementation of a comprehensive training pathway in collaboration with Sultan Qaboos University, combining training, competition, and employment. This pathway benefits over 120 participants annually and has contributed to qualifying national talent, supporting company growth, and enhancing the Sultanate of Oman’s regional presence in this field.

In the field of artificial intelligence, the Undersecretary affirmed that ‘Makeen’ has focused on combining applied training, stimulating innovation, and supporting the establishment of technology companies. This has been achieved through a set of specialized programs that have qualified over 800 trainees, preparing them to enter the workforce in this field. He noted that this approach is reflected in market growth, with approximately 27 companies specializing in AI now operating in the Sultanate of Oman.

He added that the space sector experienced remarkable growth between 2023 and 2025, with a 63 percent increase in the number of companies, a 163 percent rise in employment, and an increase in investments of over 270 percent, reflecting the sector’s attractiveness and accelerating expansion.

Regarding future directions, he explained that the next phase will focus on maximising economic impact by qualifying 10,000 job seekers over the next five years through two main pathways: the labour market readiness pathway, which aims to provide over 5,000 specialised training opportunities linked to market needs, and the capacity-building pathway, which provides 5,000 training opportunities to enhance technical skills and knowledge.

It is worth noting that since its launch, the ‘Makeen’ initiative has recorded over 27,000 registrants in its programmes, implemented 139 training programs across more than 30 technical fields, trained over 11,000 trainees, achieved a 50 percent employment rate in technical bootcamps, awarded more than 2,425 micro-credentials in technology, and engaged over 12,620 participants in more than 14 local and international competitions. This reflects the effectiveness of the programs in developing national technical capabilities and expanding the beneficiary base.

The forum was attended by His Excellency Eng. Said Hamoud Al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and a number of officials from the public and private sectors.

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