Siemens in Oman to focus on human capital and technology

Muscat: Siemens will develop Oman’s local talent and bring in innovative solutions to address challenges in economic growth, said the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Siemens Oman while revealing the company’s future plans in an interview with the Times of Oman.
The German engineering giant is also considering starting their famed Siemens Mechatronics system certification programme in affiliation with a top university in the Sultanate to develop local talent.
“Developing the Omani youth in terms of technical expertise is I think one of the most important steps we need to take. There is a lot of talent in the country and we need to harness this. With our Mechatronics systems certification, Omanis will have world-class certifications, which can make them employable anywhere in the world without a second thought. While working in Oman, productivity levels are going to be very high due to the intensity and steep learning curve of this programme,” CEO Markus Strohmeier said.
“The reason for bringing in mechatronics is that Oman needs to develop this area of engineering. Automation is taking over industries faster than anyone predicted. Growth of additive manufacturing and 3D printing is a sign of technology evolving rapidly. Once the young population of Oman is ready for this, Oman can generate many more jobs and the economy will grow. We plan to help Oman do this.”
Siemens has been a powerhouse with its equipment running some of the most sophisticated systems in the world. In Oman, Siemens is heavily focused on the utility and the oil and gas sector and Strohmeier said going forward Siemens is likely to play a more significant role in the country’s economic development.
“When we talk about new technologies like renewables, we have the expertise and the ability to deliver projects successfully. In all of these sectors Siemens will play a more aggressive role to bringing world-class solutions to Oman,” Strohmeier said.
According to Tanfeedh, the National Plan for Economic Diversification, Oman will focus on the manufacturing and logistics sectors to move away from its dependence on oil and gas. Siemens Oman is looking forward to tenders related projects, including railway link and the Sohar and Duqm industrial projects. According to Strohmeier, the current opportunities are so many that there is little to show an economic slowdown.
“I don’t see any sign of economic downturn in Oman. Tanfeedh has highlighted so many projects where Siemens will be taking part in the tendering process. There is so much going on. We have already got projects this year and are looking for more so when people tell me there is a recession, I find it hard to understand. There are always growth prospects and that is where we will be focusing,” Strohmeier explained.