Sunday 17 / November / 2024
Muscat: The Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology said that, in 2023, it conducted 85 training programmes as part of the National Initiative for Digital Competencies (Makeen) aimed to empower Omani youth with modern digital skills.
This was unveiled during the annual Makeen forum organized today by the Ministry under the auspices of Dr. Madiha Ahmed Al Shaibani, Minister of Education.
As many as 5,000 beneficiaries took advantage of the programme, who implemented 1,636 practical application projects and received more than 480 technical accreditation certificates.
Eng. Said Hamoud Al Maawali, Minister of Transport, Communications and Information Technology, said that Makeen focuses on imparting to youth all necessary skills that are needed in the local and global market, such as information technology, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, informatics and programming.
Al Maawali told reporters that about 4,800 trainees were trained during 2023 and that most of the youth joined the labour market. He pointed out that 18 of the Omani trainees approached international companies to develop software for their startups.
On the sidelines of the annual forum, the Ministry signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) for partnership with OQ to sponsor Oman Code Race 2023, one of Makeen’s initiatives.
Dr. Ali Amer Al Shidhani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology for Communications and Information Technology, said that the MoC with OQ will enable national cadres to keep pace with technological developments and utilize them in digital transition.
