9 in 10 Omani engineering firms struggling to recruit

9 in 10 Omani engineering firms struggling to recruit

The engineering sector must work closer with academia if the Sultanate of Oman is to inspire and enable the next generation to become world-class innovators, a fundamental component of Oman Vision 2040, a new report reveals.

The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), a 152-year-old global organisation with 154,000 members in 148 countries, has released findings from its Oman Skills Survey that lays bare the skills gap currently facing the Omani engineering industry, as well as the skills prospects for the next decade that will be vital in maximising the country’s engineering potential and diversifying the economy.

The IET, which has been running skills surveys for the past 18 years, joined forces with market researchers YouGov, and interviewed individuals in Oman with management responsibilities in companies that employ engineers.

The findings cast a positive light on the expansion of the industry, with two thirds (66%) reporting an increase in staff numbers over the past year. However, in the last 12 months almost all (97%) struggled to recruit with problems centred on applicants’ lack of skills, experience, or qualifications.

And skills aren’t the only barrier with over a third (37%) of respondents reporting a lack of diversity within their workforce as a current challenge –