MUSCAT – The Authority, in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour, will provide specialized training programmes to enhance national competencies. 2000 candidates will be chosen for the programme that will be spread over 12 months; the trainees will also receive monthly stipends – OMR 500 for college graduates, OMR 400 for university diploma holders, and OMR 300 for general education diploma holders. The candidate for employment is required to be a job seeker who has not previously benefited from government support. Candidates who have resigned from a job must have completed a 3-month period as a job seeker in the Ministry of Labour system.

Other conditions are that the age of the candidate is not more than 40 years, his/her experience period does not exceed 3 years, and he/she has never worked in the same institution before. The initiative targets small and medium enterprises that require sustainable growth and qualified human capital in various disciplines. According to the Authority, nearly 1,200 Omani enterprises benefited from the initiative last year.