Ooredoo Sponsors Two Outward Bound Oman Training Courses

Mobilk - Ooredoo recently sponsored two Outward Bound Oman training courses to invest in young Omani jobseekers by helping them develop skills for employment which will enable them to face the future with confidence. The successful sessions were carried out by Outward Bound Oman over the past few months.  The courses attracted 30 young Omanis aged between 18 and 24, which included jobseekers as well as students from the National College of Automotive Technology in Muscat.

Outward Bound Oman (OBO) is a non-profit educational initiative which seeks to inspire young Omanis to fulfill their potential through challenging outdoor experiences, while helping them develop the skills employers seek when recruiting and training young people. As with many of the OBO courses, the two Ooredoo sponsored Next Generation courses were 4 day and 3 night programmes, taking youngsters out of their comfort zones and into a powerful learning environment. The first session took place in the challenging terrain of Jebel Akhdar while the second session was held in the Sharqiyah desert.  

Raed Mohammed Dawood, Director of Government Relations and Corporate Affairs at Ooredoo, said, “The youth of Oman are the future of our nation and by partnering with Outward Bound Oman we want to inspire them to develop essential life skills, unlock their full potential as future leaders and team members, and support them to become better prepared to enter the job market.”

The results of the Next Generation training courses see young people build core capabilities, gain skills that increase their employability and make a positive difference to the performance of employees. 

Mark Evans, General Manager of Outward Bound Oman said, “We have been delighted to deliver these courses on behalf of Ooredoo, who have played a key role in supporting Omani youth through this training. Based on feedback from the participants, these intensive courses clearly had a significant, positive impact on them. Participants took on daily roles, were continually challenged by activities, joined in focused discussions and learnt new skills that will enable them to bridge the gap between education, and employment. We look forward to future partnerships with Ooredoo to enable greater numbers of Omani youth to benefit from the Outward Bound experience”

Mohammed Al Kindi, one of the course participants, said, “I learned to work hard, plan, be flexible, positive, and to not give up at the first obstacle.” Another participant, Ammar Al Mamari, commented “I want to thank Ooredoo for sponsoring this course. I hope it continues to support more young people through these courses because they need the training that helps them develop key skills to get ready to enter the job market.”

The Outward Bound philosophy has inspired youth worldwide through seven decades of experiential learning programmes which have driven the social and professional development of thousands of people. In the Sultanate, Outward Bound Oman was established by Ministerial decree and is operated by the Ministry of Social Development. They work with 2,000 young Omanis every year, with numbers expected to rise this year.