A 5-day training workshop on Port Logistics, organized by the Centre for Community Service & Continuing Education at Sultan Qaboos University, in association with Oman Global Logistics Group ‘ASYAD’, commenced at SQU on 10 March 2019.The workshop is designed to highlight the importance of logistics and supply chain management in ports and maritime industry. As many as 40 graduates, specialized in different majors including operations management, supply chain management, logistics management, ports logistics, process engineering, industrial engineering and ports & shipment are the training workshop. The participants who are Omani jobseekers, are graduates from different higher educational institutions from Oman and abroad.

Dr. Zahran Al Salti, Director of the Centre for Community Service & Continuing Education at SQU, said that logistics is one of the important sectors that concern local and foreign investors and a means for diversifying the economy of the country. “Transport & Logistics is one of the key sector identified in the Oman government initiative ‘Tanfeedh’ that aims to promote economic diversification of the country. Being a nation surrounded by sea, Oman follows the logistic strategy to build a strong economic pillar for the country”.

He said that the goal of the workshop is to update the skills of the graduates in line with the current practices in the port logistic sector. “It can also help the company representatives to meet the graduates that can lead to employment opportunities for the jobseekers. As part of its community service initiatives, SQU is helping the educated youth to find the right jobs. The workshop includes some session on developing resume and interview skills. A representative from LinkedIn, the social network for professionals, is one of the resources persons participating in the event”. Dr. Al Salti hoped that the current workshop would address the issue of finding the right career as well.

Dr. Al Salti added that the involvement of Oman Global Logistics Group ‘ASYAD’ and other major shipping companies based in Oman would help the participants to gain valued knowledge and skills on managing port and cargo operations. ‘ASYAD’ was established in 2016 to maximize the economic and financial returns from the Government investments in ports, free zones, land and sea transport and logistic services companies and to implement National Logistics Strategy as mandated by the Omani Government.