Jobs boost as Oman plans 10 new desalination plants

Muscat: Oman has plans to open ten new desalination plants over the next seven years and training heads are looking for Omani staff for the projects, Eng Riadh Dridi, Head of Training in Middle East Desalination Research Center (MEDRC) said.

BP Oman’s Social Investment Programme has joined hands with MEDRC Water Research to deliver a capacity building programme (TAHLYA) in reverse osmosis desalination to fresh Omani graduates.
Registration for TAHLYA is now open till 15th of January for unemployed persons, students, college or university graduates via an online application form available on MEDRC’s official website.
“Oman has plans for 10 new desalination plants over the next seven years. Omani staff is needed to lead these projects and operate these plants. MEDRC’s detailed assessment of the desalination skills need in Oman indicates a clear requirement for an additional 450 Omani operators and 160 supervisors over the next five years. To help meet this demand we established the TAHLYA program,” said Eng Riadh Dridi, Head of Training in MEDRC. “This programme will train at least 40 operators and 20 supervisors, who will receive world class hands-on training on the only purpose-built desalination training and research plant in the region,”

The purpose of the programme is to prepare young Omanis to fill positions of supervisors and operators to meet the ongoing developments of Oman’s water desalination industry. Working towards 10 operational plants by 2020, treatment facilities are being developed in Salalah, Ash Sharqiyah, Ad Duqm, Barka, and Sohar. With the aim of producing 52 million gallons per day to support the nation’s rapidly expanding needs, the industry is set to deliver a new realm of domestic operation and employment opportunities for the local job market.

“It is consequentially imperative to ensure we invest in high quality and sustainable initiatives that enable a qualified national workforce to lead this emerging industry as a future contributor to the national economy,” said Shabib Al Maamari, BP Oman’s Communications and External Affairs Manager. “Our Social Investment Programme’s partners are approached on the basis of competence and passion, this is why we are collaborating with MEDRC Water Research.”