Eighty young Omani women are poised to take the next step in their careers as entrepreneurs after completing Oman Sail’s first Female Entrepreneur Programme, supported by SAP MENA, market leaders in enterprise application software.
The programme concluded with a special ceremony held under the patronage of HH Sayyida Aliya bint Thuwaini Al Said, Chairperson of Swan International, and attended by representatives from SAP and Oman Sail, as well as inspirational business women from SMEs and larger corporates in Oman.
Participants were treated to an inspirational speech by Malak Al Sheibani, Director General of the National Business Centre, Nelly Boustany, SAP’s Head of Human Resources, and Halima Al Shezwani, one of the participants of the programme before taking part in an interactive panel discussion.
The 3-day programme was launched in November 2015 and trained four groups of 20 previously unemployed females selected by the Ministry of Manpower. During the programme they each undertook a series of rigorous training modules focussing on interpersonal entrepreneurial skills.
Course leader, Jayne Casebury-Craig MVO, Head of Corporate and Personal Development at Oman Sail, said, “We hope this programme will make a big difference to these women and to the aspirations of all women in the Sultanate. Oman Sail’s Corporate Personal Development strives to make a difference and develop the talent within the country by challenging individuals to push themselves and accomplish more than they previously thought possible.”
She added, “Instilling confidence was an essential part of the programme and delegates were able to combine classroom learning with outdoor practice in the form of a range of land-based and sailing activities to equip them with an understanding of the experiential learning cycle, essential to putting theory into practice.”
The activities also simulated the realities of being in the workplace where building relationships quickly and working under pressure are key to success. Delegates undertook specially-designed tasks to allow them to develop skills of communication, planning, teamwork and problem-solving in a supportive yet challenging environment which enabled them to understand more about themselves. Participants came away from the programme with new skills and a whole new level of confidence to tackle obstacles with a positive approach and belief in themselves.
Oman Sail’s understanding of the value of sailing as a multi-disciplinary training tool was key to the success of the programme, according to Nelly Boustany, Head of Human Resources, SAP MENA. “Graduating the first class of Omani women from Oman Sail’s Female Entrepreneur Programme is a marquee moment that demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships in supporting the female workforce of the future, in line with Oman Vision 2020.”
“Much like sailing, the training is a multi-disciplinary field, requiring teamwork and problem-solving skills that are essential for women to succeed in Oman’s rapidly-growing Digital Economy.”
The Female Entrepreneur Programme is a part of Oman Sail’s commitment to developing talent, creating future opportunities, and using Oman Sail’s expertise in creating and managing successful sports teams to develop the Omani youth.
