Engineering Village branch opened in Nizwa

Muscat: Marking the drive of local industry and the competitive spirit being infused nationwide, BP Oman celebrated the official opening of Nizwa’s ‘Engineering Village Centre’.
The region’s first specialised institute will cater to the evolving needs of the technology sector, providing the tools and technical workspace needed to take skilled industrial workers’ capabilities to the next level.
The opening ceremony was held under the patronage of Dr Khalifa Hamad Hilal Al Saadi, governor of Al Dakhiliyah, in the presence of representatives from the Shura Council, officials and professionals working to develop technical education in Oman.
The Engineering Village Centre in Nizwa is sponsored by BP Oman as part of its social investment programme. Under this partnership, the Engineering Village will lead and manage the centre in efforts to invest in technical expertise and resources to support the development of Omanis by promoting technical innovation.
Speaking on the importance of the partnership, Eng. Khalid bin NasserAl Kindi, deputy general manager of BP Oman, said, "Training and education are an integral part of our strategy for the development of the national workforce. Our strategy supports innovation especially among young talents who are willing to spend time and effort to develop them."
The centre will conduct a variety of specialised training programmes in electronics, computer-based programming, mechanics, microcontrollers and robotics.
Visitors to the centre can use the centre’s facilities and workshops at nominal prices throughout the year, as well as reserving meeting spaces to offer tutorials and lectures. The centre will further receive school trips and provide intensive educational programmes to introduce students to technical work and engineering concepts. As the lead in the centre’s tutoring, the Engineering Village team is further exploring the possibility of visiting schools if they are unable to attend the centre for knowledge sharing sessions.
During the ceremony, Fahad Al Siyabi, chief executiive officer of Engineering Village, discussed the importance of establishing centres which focuses on science and technology, specifically their role in boosting the capability of future generations and the importance of technical knowledge to enhance productivity.
He stressed the significance and necessity of public-private partnerships in achieving these goals and praised BP Oman for its support of youth programmes in various sectors. At the end of the ceremony, Dr Khalifa Hamad Hilal Al Saadi led the participants on a familiarisation tour of the centre's facilities.