Latest news with #youthskills
Times of Oman
15-07-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Programme launched to develop youth skills
Muscat: The Youth Centre, in partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Riyada), has launched a package of entrepreneurial programmes aimed at developing youth skills across various sectors, including agriculture, maritime affairs, logistics, technology and handicrafts. These youth programmes target individuals aged 15 to 34 in all governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, with each governorate hosting programmes tailored to its specific nature. The Agricultural Entrepreneurship Programme aims to equip young people with entrepreneurial skills in the agricultural sector and introduce them to promising opportunities within this field. Meanwhile, the Maritime Entrepreneurship Programme seeks to develop entrepreneurial skills among youth in the maritime domain by leveraging Oman's natural resources and strategic location. In the technical field, the Technology Entrepreneurship Programme focuses on enabling participants to invest their technological skills and transform them into scalable tech projects. Furthermore, the Logistics Entrepreneurship Programme emphasizes empowering youth to innovate sustainable entrepreneurial projects in the logistics sector, enhancing their practical skills in areas such as storage and e-commerce. The Craft Entrepreneurship Programme has been introduced to utilise craftsmanship and artistic skills in building innovative entrepreneurial projects that preserve cultural identity, demonstrating a commitment to offering specialised programmes. Additionally, a programme for youth has been dedicated in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to foster the concept of independent work among the 15-17 age group. As part of the diversification of programmes offered, the Youth Camp (Design and Packaging) programme was launched, aiming to provide participants with essential skills in modern product design and packaging, aligning with market demands. It is worth noting that the number of beneficiaries from the Youth Center's programmes reached 56,953 young men and women by the end of last June.
Times of Oman
15-07-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
Youth programmes launched in agricultural, maritime and technical sectors
Muscat— The Youth Center, in partnership with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Riyada), has launched a package of entrepreneurial programmes aimed at developing youth skills across various sectors, including agriculture, maritime affairs, logistics, technology and handicrafts. These youth programmes target individuals aged 15 to 34 in all governorates of the Sultanate of Oman, with each governorate hosting programmes tailored to its specific nature. The Agricultural Entrepreneurship Programme aims to equip young people with entrepreneurial skills in the agricultural sector and introduce them to promising opportunities within this field. Meanwhile, the Maritime Entrepreneurship Programme seeks to develop entrepreneurial skills among youth in the maritime domain by leveraging Oman's natural resources and strategic location. In the technical field, the Technology Entrepreneurship Programme focuses on enabling participants to invest their technological skills and transform them into scalable tech projects. Furthermore, the Logistics Entrepreneurship Programme emphasizes empowering youth to innovate sustainable entrepreneurial projects in the logistics sector, enhancing their practical skills in areas such as storage and e-commerce. The Craft Entrepreneurship Programme has been introduced to utilize craftsmanship and artistic skills in building innovative entrepreneurial projects that preserve cultural identity, demonstrating a commitment to offering specialized programs. Additionally, a programme for youth has been dedicated in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to foster the concept of independent work among the 15-17 age group. As part of the diversification of programmes offered, the Youth Camp (Design and Packaging) programme was launched, aiming to provide participants with essential skills in modern product design and packaging, aligning with market demands. It is worth noting that the number of beneficiaries from the Youth Center's programmes reached 56,953 young men and women by the end of last June.
Times of Oman
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Times of Oman
Sayyid Theyazin flags off 2nd Military Discipline Programme for school students
Muscat: HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham Al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, launched the second edition of the Military Discipline Programme for school students, set to take place in Dhofar Governorate from 13 July to 6 August. The programme, overseen by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth with support from various military, security, and relevant government institutions, aims to achieve its intended objectives and national goals. In a statement, HH Sayyid Theyazin emphasized that the programme aligns with national efforts to hone youth skills and channel their energies toward nation-building. This year, he said, it targets 850 students from across the Sultanate of Oman through an integrated training programme in Dhofar, focusing on reinforcing values of citizenship, identity, and self-discipline via cultural, training, and sports activities. These initiatives, affirmed HH Sayyid Theyazin, reflect the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 in empowering Omani youth as a national priority and enhancing their active role in development. He concluded, "The successes of the first edition—evident in the heightened awareness, discipline, and responsibility among students—serve as strong motivation to further develop this second edition into a model training programme. It aims to prepare a generation capable of facing future challenges and contributing to the progress of our beloved nation." The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth reaffirmed its commitment to initiatives that invest in youth potential and instill a spirit of dedication and belonging, supporting Oman's ongoing development and prosperity under the wise leadership of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.
Arab News
09-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Program to boost youth, SME role in Saudi economy
RIYADH: The Small and Medium Enterprises Loan Guarantee Program, known as Kafalah, in collaboration with the Riyadh Chamber, will hold interactive sessions on July 15 to mark World Youth Skills Day. The initiative aims to raise awareness and develop entrepreneurial skills among youth, entrepreneurs and SMEs, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Wednesday. The sessions will cover key topics to boost youth contributions to national economic development, in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 reform plan. Focus areas include access to finance, building administrative and financial capabilities, enhancing SME sustainability, and turning ideas into viable projects. These sessions highlight the collaboration between entities supporting the SME sector in the Kingdom, the SPA added. The Kafalah program and Riyadh Chamber aim to foster youth growth and strengthen their role in the national economy. Kafalah supports micro, small and medium enterprises by providing financial guarantees, improving their access to financing and reducing lending risks for banks.
Zawya
04-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
From learning to earning: how to accelerate Africa's digital economy?
Africa's youth represent a formidable advantage in the global digital economy - but only if we can build an inclusive digital talent pipeline, according to Marina Madale, MTN group executive: sustainability and shared value. Marina Madale, MTN group executive: sustainability and shared value Madale was speaking during a panel discussion entitled 'Building Africa's digital talent pipeline', on the first day of the 2025 Trialogue Business in Society Conference. The session was presented in partnership with the MTN South Africa Foundation. The development-focused conference took place at The Galleria in Sandton, Johannesburg, under the theme 'Driving impact, inspiring change'. MTN was one of six corporate sponsors that partnered with Trialogue to discuss topical issues in corporate social investment (CSI), philanthropy and development in South Africa. Madale was joined on the panel by Lisema Matsietsi (senior technical advisor – Private sector engagement in employment promotion at GIZ); Lesala Ketheng (training manager at the EBL Institute of Business and Technology); and Chuma Memela (co-founder of Gambuu and director of Genie-yus AI). They discussed how demand-led skilling is one of the factors that can address the dire unemployment rate in South Africa and many other African countries. Madale noted that public-private partnerships and collaborations will be essential to developing a pool of skilled young digital professionals. An ecosystem-based approach to digital skills Madale emphasised MTN's commitment to long-term impact through the MTN Skills Academy, which was launched in 2022. The digital platform that bridges the gap between learning and earning, and rests on four integrated pillars: career guidance (in partnership with PACE), rapid upskilling, from digital literacy to advanced 'nano degrees', work readiness, and job access, using AI to match youth with real-time opportunities. 'Our aim is to build Africa's largest job portal,' Madale explained. 'However, MTN is not a training company – our strength is connectivity. This is why we have partnered with providers like Coursera, and are in conversation with other companies – we want to create an integrated ecosystem of partners.' The platform also addresses the reality of post-matric youth who cannot access university due to cost or capacity constraints. By combining high-demand, targeted learning with job connectivity, it offers a scalable alternative to traditional education pathways. Madale acknowledged that many young South Africans and broader Africans can't join the technology revolution as they lack access, infrastructure, devices and more. This is why the company takes an ecosystem-based approach to the challenge. The ultimate aim is to develop not only digital skills but also adaptability, critical thinking, and other capabilities that will help Africa become more resilient and solve its own problems, Madale added. Aligning skills to jobs The German development agency GIZ is working with MTN and the South African government to align education and skills development with the rapidly evolving digital economy. 'We're building bridges between training providers and employers through demand-led skilling,' said the GIZ's Matsietsi. 'Instead of investing in the dark, we're co-developing curricula based on real job descriptions and tracking transitions from training to employment.' Matsietsi said the GIZ is currently testing a pipeline from TVET colleges to jobs, then looking at non-traditional training providers to assist. He cited platforms like Collective_X, a Harambee initiative that aims to place digitally skilled young people in jobs, and the Youth Employment Service, the highest-impact private sector youth employment programme in South Africa, which help to bring skilled youth into employment. Five 'top' career pathways identified by the GIZ include cybersecurity, cloud computing, data analysis, software development, and content development. In addition, the GIZ partners with public bodies such as the Department of Communications and Digital Technologies and the National Electronic Media Institute of SA to enable the joint testing of scalable, data-driven models that will tackle youth unemployment. The agency emphasises inclusivity, applying gender and disability lenses, and attempts to reduce drop-out rates. Khetheng stressed the urgent need for programmes that offer real-world, job-ready training, not just certificates. 'The gap isn't only skills – it's experience, access to mentorship, and infrastructure,' he noted. 'Many learners don't have reliable laptops, internet access, or even digital literacy. You can't work remotely on a laptop operating Windows 7, for example.' He stressed the importance of human-centred approaches: practical exposure, peer mentorship, and psychological support to help learners thrive in difficult socioeconomic environments. AI ushers in opportunities Despite anxiety around artificial intelligence, the panellists were confident that AI's transformative potential should be harnessed, not resisted. 'AI isn't going to destroy jobs – it's going to transform them,' asserted Memela, himself a graduate of the EBL Institute of Business and Technology, and one of its ''champions' who is part of the mentorship pipeline. He currently teaches entrepreneurs to become 'super-employees' – multi-skilled generalists who can combine digital skills with critical thinking. 'We shouldn't be debating whether 19-year-olds should use AI when countries like China and the United States are teaching it in primary school,' he added, saying educational institutions need to adapt to meet the job needs of the future. It is also important to mentor young people and bring them into the system. 'I am a beneficiary of opportunity – I have to pay it forward,' Memela concluded.
