Engineer Nader Al-Hinai, Director of the “Imdad” Program at the Projects, Tenders, and Local Content Authority, stated that the Imdad Program represents a pivotal strategic tool that supports the Authority’s direction toward maximizing local added value and empowering national competencies at the national level. He emphasized that the program is based on linking training to real opportunities within projects, contributing to the creation of clear career pathways for Omani youth, enhancing the readiness of the local market, and supporting institutions in relying on qualified national skills capable of meeting the needs of various sectors.
In an interview with Al-Roya, Al-Hinai added that the program is built on eight main strategies for workforce localization, including direct employment programs, training linked to employment, on-the-job training, freelance work platforms, the Employment Sustainability Initiative, the Industrial Training Program, and the Imdad Professional Preparation Program. He noted that since the program’s launch in 2012, more than 17,500 job opportunities have been provided. Over the years, Imdad has accumulated extensive practical experience that enabled it to develop training models based on the actual needs of the labor market.
He explained that this experience contributed to gradually expanding the scope of the program to include multiple national sectors. Among the most notable achievements of the program are the preparation of thousands of national competencies, increasing youth readiness to enter the labor market, and expanding partnerships with employing institutions, which has strengthened Imdad’s position as a national platform with a tangible impact on the labor market.
The Director of the Imdad Program at the Projects, Tenders, and Local Content Authority affirmed that the program’s approach to linking training with employment relies on a set of core strategies, most notably needs-based training aligned with the actual requirements of employing entities. Programs are designed according to the requirements of various projects and sectors. The program also focuses on practical training, on-the-job training models, and direct professional qualification, ensuring a smooth transition for national cadres from academic education to the practical work environment. This contributes to narrowing the skills gap between graduates and company needs.
Regarding the “Imdad Health” program, Al-Hinai noted that it is a specialized program focused on the healthcare sector and was designed to meet the technical and professional needs of healthcare institutions across the governorates of the Sultanate of Oman. He explained that the program differs from the general Imdad program in its objectives and implementation mechanisms, as it focuses on direct practical training within healthcare institutions and on equipping trainees with the clinical and technical skills necessary to deliver high-quality healthcare services. He added that Imdad Health is based on precise standards aligned with the nature of healthcare work and takes into account the distribution of needs among governorates, ensuring sustainable provision of qualified healthcare personnel in every region.
Al-Hinai highlighted that field training initiatives and professional qualification play a pivotal role in enhancing the readiness of graduates and national cadres to effectively enter the labor market, whether in the healthcare sector or other sectors. Field training provides trainees with real experience within the work environment, contributes to developing their professional skills, and increases their employability. He added that experience-based professional qualification enables graduates to better meet project requirements, enhances performance quality, and reduces the time required for job integration.
Al-Hinai stated that through the Imdad Program, the Projects, Tenders, and Local Content Authority seeks to promote a culture of reliance on national products and services, employ Omani competencies, and support local innovation. He emphasized that improving the quality and qualification of national competencies gives companies greater capacity to adopt local suppliers and national services, supports national industry, strengthens institutional productive capacity, expands the economic impact of local content, and enhances market competitiveness.
Regarding the challenges facing the implementation of the Imdad and Imdad Health programs, Al-Hinai explained that the most prominent challenges include differences in needs among governorates, variation in technical requirements across sectors, and ensuring the quality of practical training in various institutions. He noted that the Authority is addressing these challenges through integrated efforts with government and private entities, unifying training standards, and enhancing supervision and follow-up to ensure sustainable outcomes that benefit both the economic and social levels.
As for future plans, Al-Hinai explained that in the coming phase, the Authority is working to expand the impact of Imdad programs to include new sectors, building on the successful model of the Imdad Health program. This will be achieved by developing similar programs in the industrial, services, logistics, and technology sectors. He added that the Authority is focusing on building an integrated training ecosystem that ensures alignment between programs and future project needs, while enhancing the readiness of Omani competencies across various sectors.
The Director of the Imdad Program confirmed that this expansion comes as a strategic step to support the objectives of Oman Vision 2040 by providing sustainable career pathways, increasing reliance on national competencies, and maximizing local value in vital sectors. He noted that the Imdad experience has received international recognition after being published as a success story and best practice by the Swiss-based International Institute for Management Development (IMD), highlighting the program’s leadership transformation and the building of sustainable human capital development systems. This reflects Imdad’s journey from an institutional initiative to a national platform that aligns education with labor market needs and leads the development of national talent.