A programme adopted by the Oman College of Management and Technology is expected to boost the computer competency of the Batinah region’s workforce in line with the requirements of GCC government and private establishments.

The college has adopted the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) programme as a standard for digital literacy within the college for students and faculty members, the ICDL GCC Foundation announced.
The foundation is the governing body and certification authority of the ICDL programme in the region.
The Batinah region lies north of the Muscat area and extends further to the north until the tip of the contiguous territory of Oman, taking in a number of wilayats. Included in the Batinah is the wilayat of Sohar where the Sohar Industrial Port has been established to house major industries including petrochemicals and an aluminium smelter.
As well as raising the contribution of the non-oil sector to Oman’s economy, the government’s strategy is to provide greater employment opportunities at the Sohar Industrial Port. One of the key areas that the government is looking at in the human resources field is information technology. Several of the projects coming up in Sohar are high-profile and are employing sophisticated information technology practices to keep abreast of the latest advances in production and marketing.  While Sohar is emerging as a hot spot for industrialisation, the government’s concern in matters of human resources development extends to the whole of the Sultanate.
The Oman College of Management and Technology will also offer the ICDL programme to the greater community of the south Batinah region after the ICDL GCC Foundation recently approved the educational institution as an ICDL-accredited training and testing centre.
“We are very pleased to partner with the ICDL GCC Foundation to deliver this widely recognised computer skills certification to all our students, faculty members and the public in the south Batinah region. This will ensure that our college maintains international training standards, which will contribute to the increased competency of our students and faculty members,” said Dr. Issam Fuqaha, dean of Oman College of Management and Technology.
“As most government departments and large establishments in the region require job applicants to obtain ICDL certification, we want to ensure that our students are fully equipped and thorough in their knowledge in information technology to increase their chances of employment,” added Dr Fuqaha.
ICDL is endorsed by education ministries, universities and government organisations worldwide. It is an inclusive digital literacy programme that empowers individuals with the essential concepts of computer and practical use of common desktop applications. The programme is based on a recognised global standard acknowledged through testing and proves that the certificate holder has fundamental skills in information technology, using the computer and managing files, word processing, spreadsheet, database, presentation, and information and communication (Internet and e-mail). The ICDL syllabus also offers a broader perspective on computer netiquettes by concentrating on the responsible use of computers and the internet, covering important social areas such as intellectual property rights, virus protection and recycling.