Tuesday 15 / September / 2026
Muscat--- The allocations for the Vocational Colleges System Development Plan for the period 2026–2030 have reached approximately RO 20 million. This drive reflects a strategic approach towards strengthening the institutional and training infrastructure of these colleges and enhancing their capacity to prepare and qualify national cadres in alignment with the requirements of economic and professional sectors.
The Ministry of Labour has affirmed that the vocational colleges sector is receiving a great attention in terms of developing the training and qualification system and enhancing its responsiveness to future labour market requirements. During the first half of 2026, the vocational colleges implemented 71 training programmes and courses, benefiting 1,062 participants. In addition, five cooperation programmes were signed with relevant entities, and six institutional policies were approved, thereby contributing to the development of the educational and training environment, the strengthening of institutional partnerships, and the enhancement of programme quality and training practices.
The Ministry indicated that the Human Resources Development sector's activities during the first half of 2026 encompassed several domains, including organizational structuring and job classification, human resources development, professional colleges system development, training and professional accreditation, administrative follow-up and service development, quality assurance and change management, as well as the development of the private training institutions system — all of which reinforce the integration of roles across the various pathways associated with human capital development.
In the domain of organizational structuring and job classification, the Ministry stated that the Directorate General of Organizational Structuring and Job Classification processed 1,462 requests for job placement, status modification, and service transfer during the same period. It also completed 1,014 transactions in the area of job classification and 423 transactions for the settlement of employment statuses.
The Ministry noted that the Directorate conducted 66 organizational studies and projects aimed at developing organizational structures and improving the job classification system, in line with government work requirements and the evolving dynamics of the labour market. These efforts contribute to enhancing the efficiency of distributing mandates and responsibilities, optimizing the utilization of human resources, and strengthening the capacity of government entities to respond to job-related and organizational needs.
In the domain of training and professional accreditation, the Ministry reported the issuance of 83,000 professional practice licenses and the accreditation of 350 professions under the professional accreditation system. This forms part of ongoing efforts to regulate professional practice, raise compliance with professional standards and requirements, and enhance the quality of competencies operating across various professions.
Furthermore, 13,246 jobs were linked to the National Competency Framework, with the framework applied across 24 government entities and the Human Resources Matrix implemented in 63 entities. This enhances the alignment of jobs with required skills and competencies and supports the development of human resource management tools in accordance with methodologies linked to efficiency, capabilities, and performance.
The Ministry indicated that these efforts contribute to advancing the transition towards a more competency-driven system by identifying the skills and capabilities required for job roles, supporting workforce planning processes, and developing training and qualification pathways — thereby enhancing the readiness of national competencies for current and future labour market requirements.
The Ministry explained that 917 cases were processed through the "Wusool" system, contributing to the delivery of services and the fulfilment of the needs of 12,607 beneficiaries.
The Ministry further stated that it continues to implement programmes and initiatives aimed at promoting a culture of performance and institutional development. A total of 3,823 employees benefited from awareness workshops on job performance, while 541 employees participated in the Institutional Excellence System, thereby reinforcing awareness of performance concepts and linking job practices to institutional objectives and outcomes.
The engagement rate with the artificial intelligence pilot application reached 70%, with the participation of 350 employees — an indicator reflecting the growing interest in leveraging modern technologies to develop the work environment and utilize AI applications in task execution, procedural improvement, and performance efficiency enhancement.
The Ministry stated that work is underway on the "Approved Credit Balance for the Professional Diploma" project, aimed at enhancing confidence in the training programmes offered and supporting the quality of training outputs, in addition to developing the regulatory frameworks governing the operations of private training institutions and enhancing their capacity to deliver programmes aligned with labour market needs.
The Ministry reported that the completion rate of the Private Training System Development Project reached 23%, while the completion rate of the Investment Environment Enhancement Project reached 10%. These efforts are part of the Ministry's endeavours to develop the private training sector, improve its regulatory and investment environment, and strengthen its role in supplying the labour market with the required skills and competencies.
The Ministry of Labour affirmed that these indicators underscore the Ministry's approach towards building an integrated human resources development system founded on investing in competencies, developing skills, and improving the work environment.
