MUSCAT: GHEDEX Oman’s Official Higher Education Exhibition launched its Future Skills and HRD Conference and Awards recently.
Bakhit Ahmed al Mahri, Undersecretary of Higher Education, inaugurated the 3-day conference. Several undersecretaries, ambassadors, C level executives, deans, professors, and students attended the 1st Edition of Future Skills & HRD – GHEDEX Series.
Amr Abdullah Baabood CEO of OITE Group said, “We at GHEDEX understand that being proactive is crucial because the skills people will need to succeed in their current and future jobs will constantly evolve. Future Skills & HRD Conference is an engaging & networking platform for talents and development of leaders, learning heads, human resources, and business leaders along with policymakers and influencers to discuss the gaps, find solutions and ideas through focusing on several areas such as AI, cybersecurity, IoT, blockchain and more which compile with Oman Vision 2040 goals. This platform will enhance the skills of youth and develop their abilities to be successful leaders.”.
Sadiq Khan, Group COO of Arabian Research Bureau, said “Future Skills and HRD Conference had the most engaging platform for talent development leaders, learning heads, human resources and business leaders along with policymakers and influencers to discuss challenges, exchange ideas and create solutions in the skill and learning space, to help the organizations and people. While most jobs will be lost and many more will be created”.
With increased digitization at workplaces, a focus on continuous and multi-generational upskilling and reskilling are deemed more important than ever. There is a desperate need to identify skill gaps, opportunities to reskill and to learn new technologies in the workspace to stay productive, active & indispensable. The gap between education and employment will be bridged through this initiative.
The three-day hybrid conference (off line and online) brought together universities, colleges, authorities, scientists, experts, professors and students discussing topics with over 65 future skills and human resource development. Global specialists as speakers with senior and middle management as delegates discussing the latest and next major trends in future skills & HRD as well as the challenges that lie ahead in building an efficient skills driven organization, how to have the most impact and how to improve capabilities of their workforce. The conference provided latest in-depth information on the Future Skills & HRD heading towards the 4IR (4th industrial revolution).
The event also had special recognition for future skills & HRD to recognise and honour associations, companies, ministries and academia’s which are in for setting up exceptional practices and achievements in their work, judged by over 15 high profile experts. According to the organizers, the award winners demonstrated how future skills and HR can boost corporate performance, improve customer experience, and drive product creation, sales, and economic success.
The award winners are: BEST IN AI – Petroleum Development Oman (PDO); BEST IN IoT – Majan University College; BEST IN HEALTH & WELL BEING – Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB); BEST IN LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT – Global Computer Services; BEST IN ROBOTICS – Khimji Ramdas – Eshraqa; BEST IN 3D PRINTING – German University of Technology in Oman; BEST IN CLOUD TECH – Datamount SAOC Company; and National University of Science & Technology; BEST IN DRONES – Petroleum Development Oman (PDO); EMPLOYER OF CHOICE – Oman Environmental Service Holding Company SAOC (B’eah); BEST IN FUTURE TECHNOLOGY – Khimji Ramdas – Eshraqa; BEST IN PEOPLE & CULTURE _PROTIVITI – Oman Member Firm. There was a tie in the Contestants which won the highest number of awards was given the title of BEST OF BEST – which went to Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and Khimji Ramdas – Eshraqa.
