Developing Competitive National Talent

Author: Arti Sharma

Qualified and talented employees are the key to the stability and success of any organisation, as 50% of the GDP of developed countries is knowledge-based. Therefore, the human resource managers and the line managers must find and attract a high-potential and talented workforce. However, as the gap between demand and supply of such a workforce widens in the labour market, organisations are finding it more and more difficult to keep the competitive advantage arising out of the unique skill sets that the key personnel possess.

According to a study done in 2020 by the Oman Chambers of Commerce and Industry, at a high-skilled professional level, foreign workers outnumber nationals, reflecting that Oman continues to import technical skills. Even during the pandemic, businesses had trouble hiring nationals, especially for high-skilled occupations, because of the expectations among nationals of higher wages and better work conditions than the businesses could offer. Adjusting to inflation, Oman’s GDP per capita is 20 per cent less than its peak in 2009 and is lower than three decades ago. The Oman government has taken measures to diversify its economy away from hydrocarbons and to support private sector development. However, the key challenge will be to maintain the right skills mix to allow its private sector to develop and thrive through developing the skills of its national population while not disrupting the supply of skilled foreign workers to stay globally competitive.

Middle East College has a range of business programs with relevant modules and experiential learning opportunities to arm the young graduates with the skill set to excel and prosper in the local and international job market. As the Sultanate of Oman is continuously diversifying its economy, there is a growing demand for professionals in the field of business administration and management. The programs at Middle East College equip the students with knowledge and attributes integral to pursuing careers in business administration. The programs impart the knowledge and skills related to business administration, general management, human resource management, marketing, accounting & finance and other functional areas of a business organisation. Students are trained to meet industry demand and workplace expectations successfully.

 

-Arti Sharma is a faculty member of the Department of Management Studies with areas of interest in Human Resource and General Management