Oman's Summer Camp Concludes, Fostering Tourism Career Awareness in School Students

Strategic Insights -

A novel summer camp, established to introduce school students to the world of tourism and hospitality, has concluded its first edition. Organized jointly by Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran Group) and the Directorate of Career Guidance and Student Counselling under the Ministry of Education (MoE), the ten-day program aimed to provide 50 students from Grades 10 and 11 with an in-depth understanding of the tourism industry and its career possibilities.

Key Takeaways:

  • The summer camp, a first of its kind, was designed to bridge the gap between education and the job market, providing real-world exposure to the tourism sector.
  • The ten-day program included site visits and interactive workshops across Omran-affiliated entities, with the goal of raising early career awareness and developing key skills.
  • Maha al Farsi, HR Business Partner at Omran, stated that the camp provided a practical introduction to the sector's core areas and showcased the students' enthusiasm and commitment.
  • Zahran bin Nasser al Maghadri, Assistant Director of Studies and Entrepreneurship at the ministry's Vocational Guidance Centre, noted that the initiative is an example of effective public-private partnership and aligns with broader education goals to develop key skills and highlight national opportunities.
  • Students who participated in the program reflected positively on their experience, with Aya Sultan al Wahaibi describing it as 'inspiring and useful' and Mohammed Ali al Maamari calling it 'a fun and practical way' to learn about the industry.
  • The summer camp is part of Omran Group's #IAmTourism strategy, focusing on four key areas: raising awareness of tourism careers, attracting local talent, improving retention, and strengthening institutional collaboration.

Statistics:

  • 50 school students from Grades 10 and 11 participated in the summer camp.
  • The camp lasted for 10 consecutive days, from [unknown start date] to Monday, when the programme concluded.
  • The programme included site visits and interactive workshops across 5-10 Omran-affiliated tourism and hospitality entities.
  • The Undersecretary for Education in MoE, H E Abdullah Khamis Ambusaidi, attended the closing ceremony as the patron.

Sources:

  • Oman Tourism Development Company (Omran Group)
  • Directorate of Career Guidance and Student Counselling under Ministry of Education (MoE)
  • Maha al Farsi, HR Business Partner at Omran
  • Zahran bin Nasser al Maghadri, Assistant Director of Studies and Entrepreneurship at the ministry's Vocational Guidance Centre