BAE Systems invests in Omani youth development

Muscat: As part of its long-term commitment to Oman, BAE Systems has recently announced a partnership with educational training provider Outward Bound Oman.
The partnership, signed in the presence of Dr Madiha bint Ahmed Al Shaibaniya, Minister of Education, and Outward Bound Oman Patron His Highness Sayyid Faisal bin Turki Al Said, will see up to 72 young Omanis undertake challenging four-day courses designed to develop their self-awareness, confidence, resilience, leadership and teamwork skills.
The courses will have a particular emphasis on enhancing young people’s employability, focusing on a series of discussions and activities that encourage the participants to identify the key skills employers seek when recruiting young people, and also focusing on basic work ethics and expectations. Away from the distractions of mobile phones, a multi-day challenging journey through the wadis and peaks of Jebel Akdhar will provide them the opportunity to put all of the theoretical skills into practice, before a period of reflection and action planning will bring each course to a close.
Ian Lane, country manager of BAE Systems in Oman, said, “This partnership further strengthens the long-standing relationship between ourselves and the Sultanate. We have been supporting Oman for more than 50 years, and this is another fantastic activity that continues this commitment. The experiences Outward Bound provides, enables young Omanis to gain critical skills that will help them contribute to building a strong and sustainable future for themselves and for Oman.”
First established in the UK in 1941, Outward Bound now operates in 33 countries around the world. Oman is the first Arabic speaking nation to set up an Outward-Bound operation to develop and challenge its human resources.
Outward Bound Oman General Manager Mark Evans commented: "A key element in the success story of Outward Bound in Oman is the corporate community who, through their social investment programmes, funds young Omanis on Outward-Bound training courses, thus developing their key life skills. This support from BAE Systems will give 50 young people an extraordinary opportunity to enhance their employability and develop the very skills that companies such as BAE Systems look for when recruiting Omani youth."
Since being established in Oman in 2009, Outward Bound Oman has delivered training for more than 10,000 individuals. In 2014, it was further established by a Ministerial Decision, and recently the first of three National Training Centres was opened in Sharqiya Sands.
BAE Systems has been present in Oman for more than 50 years, providing support to the Sultan’s Armed Forces, as well as the Sultanate’s economic agenda through a number of education programmes for the next generation of Omanis.