Muscat – A total of 3,236 jobseekers have registered for an on-the-job training initiative, according to Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (ASMED).

A statement issued by ASMED said that the authority and the Ministry of Labour have announced the end of the registration period for the training initiative to employ jobseekers in small and medium enterprises.

‘The Ministry of Labour approved 3,236 training opportunities for varying academic qualifications – 53.4 per cent have Bachelor’s degrees, 15.5 per cent for university diplomas and 31.1 per cent have General Education Diploma.’

In 2021, ASMED launched the initiative to provide training to 3,000 Omani jobseekers. The Ministry of Labour will bear the cost of training. In the first year, 100 per cent of the trainees’ stipend will be subsidised. Bachelor’s degree holders will receive RO500 a month, university diploma holders RO400 a month and General Education Diploma holders RO300 a month. In the second year, the ministry will bear 50 per cent of the training grant.

According to ASMED, on-the-job training packages offered to SMEs have been launched in response to their demand to receive subsidised-pay manpower. The programme aims to provide employment for the largest number of jobseekers possible and provide them the required vocational skills.