A pioneering initiative implemented by BP Oman and Oman Sail has entered a new phase of unlocking the potential of young talents in the Sultanate. To date, since its first launch, the Khazzan Young Leaders’ Programme has transformed 1850 students’ skillsets, with the aim of making them better prepared for future careers. The newly launched fourth year of the programme will now target 600 final-year students in the Sultanate.
Implemented and set to run until March 2018, the new phase of the Khazzan Young Leaders’ Programme has been engineered to provide participants with the skillsets that enable them to embark on successful employment paths. This will be achieved through delivery of three days of experiential learning and outdoor activities. Complementing academic studies, the richly rewarding programme extracts participants from their comfort zones, instilling key wider skills that prepare them for the workplace.
Since October, a number of sessions have already been conducted for 39 male students from Ibri College of Applied Sciences, 88 male students and 95 female students from Ibri Technical College and 59 students from Shinas Technical College.
The new phase has also seen the introduction of a new partnership with “Special Olympics, Oman,” which enables young, special needs participants to take part in the Khazzan Young Leaders’ Programme. A session has already been conducted for 61 participants, with two more scheduled for 2018.
The programme challenges participants with a range of physical activities that many have not previously experienced. Practical exercises, including sailing, focus on how to respond under pressure and teach participants how to excel, despite operating in challenging situations. These carefully refined experiential activities are designed to provide young Omanis with transferable skills that promote lifelong learning.
Shamsa Al Rawahi, BP Oman’s Social Investment Progarmme Officer commented, “Empowering the youth of Oman is an integral part of our commitment to creating a talented, sustainable workforce here in the Sultanate. We have launched the fourth season of the Khazzan Young Leaders’ Programme safe in the knowledge that its graduates are being equipped with vital skillsets during their participation. Faced with the demands of today’s competitive business world, they are proving that they are able to excel in the workplace.”
Khamis Al Anbouri, Acting Head of Corporate and Personal Development at Oman Sail, said, “BP Oman’s invaluable support and commitment has been instrumental in enabling a generation of young talent to prepare strategically for their forthcoming professional lives. We are proud to be joining hands with BP Oman again to expose young Omanis to new possibilities and help pave the road to their future success.”
He added, “In order to deliver tangible and measurable value, we have introduced sessions that are focused on CV writing, interview skills and career planning – elements that can boost participants’ confidence and prove crucial to their employability. Post programme, on-going evaluation and assessment exercises help them to define where they see themselves in years to come.”
Led by a team of facilitators, the Oman Sail Corporate and Personal Development (CPD) Programme uses the company’s experience in creating high performance sailing teams to develop local Omani talent; the knowledge transfer benefits a generation of students, job seekers and entrepreneurs. Designed to meet the needs of the local employment market, the CPD Programme addresses areas such as motivation, self-awareness and the ability to work as a team, all of which are highly valued by potential employers. In addition, this year’s programme will expand its beneficiary reach to a number of aspirant individuals who are members of an Omani “Special Olympics” group. The programme is designed to support them as they compete internationally, by developing their teamwork, leadership, confidence and communication skills.
