New initiative seeks cross-sectoral collaboration

Muscat: New projects in Oman will include governments, businesses, industries and academics to ensure that the perspectives of all of them can be heard for their contribution in developing the country.

The move was announced as part of the Future Skills Initiative, which is focusing on building a digitalised Omani economy. Organised by the Supreme Council of Planning (SCP) in partnership with the World Economic Forum (WEF), the initiative aims to identify the skills that will be most critical for raising the country’s productivity in an age of increased digitalisation, extreme automation and big data-driven artificial intelligence (AI).

The initiative will be led by Dr. Ali bin Masoud Al Sunaidy, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, and the Deputy Chairman of the SCP. Once it identified the priority future skills, the initiative examined which gaps existed for the provision of such skills to Oman’s workforce.

Aided by special surveys of private-sector leaders and youth groups, input from global and local experts and a thorough review of international and local research and literature, the initiative developed a Future Skills Framework to guide action by policymakers and all relevant stakeholders.

To close the gaps, the initiative is aiming for cross-sectoral collaboration, with a tightly knit web of joint projects by the government, businesses, industry and academia, in what it has labelled Public-Private Initiatives (PPIs). Many of these initiatives will be devised at a roundtable to be held shortly in Muscat.

“Oman’s Future Skills Initiative comes in a timely manner as the world we are living in today has become an increasingly digitalised global village, with an ever-growing reliance on advanced technologies. Today we have some insights regarding upskilling and labour market productivity and the private sector can and must play an active role in driving long-term economic development at the heart of its strategy, in order to achieve the national objectives under the 9th five-year plan as well as those set out in the transformational strategy of Vision 2040,” said. Sayyida Rawan Al Said, Co-chair of Oman’s Future Skills.

The event showcased several fourth industrial revolution businesses using artificial intelligence, data analytics, virtual and augmented reality, and drones to demonstrate that the future is already here, and that the skills needed to thrive in the future are changing. The message was that, while some jobs might be lost, technology will create many more jobs over time.

The task force that guides the initiative, composed of influential figures from the business, education and government communities, made a call to action directed to employers, youth and other stakeholders, to participate in the surveys and engage in this drive to a digitalised economic future.

A website that was launched during the press briefing will gather and showcase all such efforts and collect the pledges of support to make Oman’s Future Skills Initiative a complete success.