Oman Air ramps up programmes aimed at empowering Omanis

This includes pilots, engineers, and commercial and administrative roles.

Inspired by His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq bin Taimur's guiding words, “Youth are the wealth of a nation, its inexhaustible resource and the arms that build it. They are its present and future…”—the airline's executive management has adopted several policies and strategies aimed at strengthening Omani cadres and boosting their representation in the organisation, particularly in professional disciplines and senior management.

While the company values employees from diverse backgrounds and nationalities, Hilal bin Ali Al Siyabi, Senior Vice President - People, said: “Oman Air is proud to have achieved an Omanization rate of 94 percent (excluding female cabin crew) at June 2022, which represents a high percentage considering our extensive international business footprint. The airline also employs bilingual employees from many nationalities to provide many of the specialised services that travellers expect from a global airline. Presently, we employ 2,811 Omanis alongside highly skilled and experienced colleagues from 64 nations.”

Al Siyabi added that the airline is committed to expanding horizons for young Omanis and boosting Oman Air's contribution to the Sultanate's GDP during the country's five-year plan (2021-2025) in line with Oman Vision 2040. “This is owing to the success of many Omanization strategies achieving the intended results. Our Flight Operations Department's strategy is the perfect example, as 415 of the 398 pilots are Omani, with the remaining 17 pilots having extensive cumulative experience and work as instructors empowering future generations of pilots.”

Ongoing efforts to train and qualify the next generation of pilots have been intensifying at Oman Air. Approximately 93 Omani cadets are currently enrolled in the Air Transport Pilot License Program, with 81 receiving theoretical and practical training at Europe's leading international flight training college in 6 different batches, with one batch of 12 trainees receiving initial foundation and skills training at Sultan Qaboos University.

"We recognise that Omani youth play an important leadership role in implementing important policies, initiatives, and commercial programmes at the airline, all of which have been praised by our esteemed customers, in addition to major international assessment companies. This clearly demonstrates the importance Oman Air places on developing and empowering Omani skills and contributing to an environment of success," Al Siyabi said.