Saturday 27 / April / 2024
Muscat: Three young people in Oman have found their silver linings in the COVID-19 storm and are now navigating their own way out to make something for themselves.
While some still hope for something to turn up these three young people are already creating their own opportunities.
Yahya Abdulsalam, 25, has already started his home-based videography business. He is now a wizard in creating video commercials suited for businesses. He can also mix sounds, video and music in one file to suit the needs of any customer.
“I realise I have a talent in videography and started to explore it. It has nothing to do with my college specialisation but it is something I know is in demand.
“Videography is a skill many companies are looking for to advertise themselves. As a young an independent person, I can offer this service much cheaper than established company and do the same job,” Yahya told the Times of Oman.
His specialty is Health and Safety Management but because of the COVID-19 scarcity of jobs, he knows his videography business will lead to financial independence.
But Yahya is not the only one to realise that the labour market is saturated. The other young man looking to be in his own is 24-year old Mohammed Al-Bimani and who has decided to start a podcast and tell people’s stories.
Mohammed has found a gap in a market that allows to develop his own ideas. He has already set up the podcast in his bedroom and with the blessings of his parents, he is putting the last touches on his home broadcasting business.
“I know a lot of people want to listen what is happening around them. They also want to connect with the community. The pandemic has isolated us and even with vaccinations, many people still are sceptic about getting too close or mingling with the crowd. The podcast will give ordinary people a chance to connect by voices instead by social media by relating their stories,” Mohammed said.
But the lack of jobs for normally vibrant young people is causing depression when they know they cannot use their education. Nusaiba Al-Haremi, 26, is a fresh psychology graduate who has failed to land a job but has now started her own practice at home.
“Instead of just waiting to be employed, my parents gave me the back room to receive patients who are suffering from the pandemic depression. They relate to me because most of my patients are young people about my age. They come to me because, being young, I understand the problems they go through,” Nusaiba said.
Yahya, Mohammed and Nusaiba are starting the trend for unemployed but educated young people who are going on their own instead of waiting for an interview call that may never come, or even if they get the call, will probably be rejected. “I had a few interviews but I was rejected each time. This is the reason I decided to employ myself,” Nusaiba explained.
