Oman Air, the flag carrier of Oman, plans to train more Omani pilots with the intention of increasing employment and career progression opportunities for citizens of the sultanate.

The move is part of a broader programme of training and development for employees throughout the company.

Under the programme, Omani pilots who hold a Commercial Pilot’s License (CPL) will be eligible to join Oman Air’s intensive training courses, which aim to polish technical and practical skills. Once the training has been successfully completed, the pilots will be considered for positions within Oman Air’s flight crews.

The programme was recently agreed by Oman Air’s board of directors and executive management. It will provide opportunities for young Omanis to showcase their abilities and contribute to the national development process in line with the assertion of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos that young people are the backbone of the nation.

The programme is being put into action with the support of Oman’s Ministry of Manpower and Oman Air’s department of Training and Development, part of the airline’s Support Services Unit, will oversee its roll-out.

In addition, Oman Air has already met with the Ministry of Manpower and a range of other agencies with the aim of ensuring that the right mechanisms are in place to attract qualified young Omanis to engage in aviation-related studies.

The initiative builds on the airline's continuous efforts since its establishment to raise the percentage of Omani employees at all levels of the company. As key members of the workforce, significant work has been undertaken to boost the number of pilots employed. – TradeArabia News Service