Omantel, the first and leading telecom operator in the Sultanate, recently completed the training of another 20 young trainees as part of "Mehnati" program taking the number of graduates from this program to 60. The third batch of "Mehnati", which is composed of twenty job seekers - including people with disabilities - was trained on the repair and maintenance of smart devices. Omantel honoured the graduates in a special ceremony held last Wednesday at Oman Association for Disabled in Suhar in the presence of the Omantel representatives and Sadara Institute, the provider of the training program along with trainees.

Commenting on this occasion, Laila Al Wahaibi, Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility at Omantel said: "We are pleased to celebrate together the graduation of a new group of job seekers who demonstrated great interest to learn and earn new skills related to smart phones repair and maintenance which will enable them to join the job market as independent entrepreneurs or work with those who already have existing businesses”.

The Corporate Social Responsibility Manager added ''We received very positive feedback from trainees who attended the first two batches and are glad to learn about plans to open their own enterprises in the near future, particularly after they gained skills in smart phones software and having knowledge about the fundamentals and maintenance of smartphones. We are equally pleased that a group of program graduates have already started practicing the skills and knowledge they acquired in repair and maintenance of smartphones among their families or through partnerships with their colleagues in smart phones maintenance shops”.

Al Wahaibi concluded her statement saying "We would like to congratulate graduates of the third batch of Mehnati program and we look forward to seeing them as successful entrepreneurs. She asserted that the program will continue, with batch 4, which will be organised in the Willayat of Sur, South Al Sharqia Governorate and it will include 20 trainees.

“Mehnati" program is part of Omantel’s efforts aiming at the development and enhancement of Omani youths' skills, helping them to start their own enterprises and provide employment opportunities for young Omanis. The training program equips Omani youth with the fundamentals of smartphones’ repair and maintenance, and paving the way before them to launch private enterprises in this field and join the labour market.