Muscat: The Projects, Tenders and Local Content Authority, in cooperation with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Riyada), today launched a program named "Imkan Plus". This is one of the developmental initiatives aimed at raising the efficiency of national cadres in the projects and construction sector, specifically engineers working in contracting and engineering consultancy firms registered with Riyada.
According to Oman News Agency, the program also aims to develop project and contract management skills in line with modern practices, contributing to improving implementation quality, enhancing spending efficiency in projects, and reducing change orders. It will run for 5 months, with 6 weeks allocated for each group.
The program complements the training programs launched by the Projects, Tenders and Local Content Authority in previous periods to qualify national cadres in government projects and contracts. It introduces blended learning methodologies, combining theoretical and practical aspects, and focuses on developing the technical and cognitive skills of engineers in executing and monitoring projects and contracts. This will enable them to efficiently deal with challenges related to the project cycle and apply what they learn to ongoing national projects.
Eng. Abdullah Saif Al Hosni, Program Manager of "Imkan Plus", stated that the program targets national companies operating in the fields of contracting, civil and architectural engineering, and engineering consultancy. Statistics have shown that the number of companies registered with the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority in the construction and engineering consultancy sector exceeded 7,200 companies in 2025. Within the program, 1,380 companies specialized in the construction sector have been targeted, representing approximately 19% of the total companies operating in these activities, reflecting the size of the sector and the importance of investing in human resource development, he added.
He pointed out that the program includes a comprehensive assessment to measure the knowledge and skill impact on participants. The results of previous programs have shown high performance indicators, including achieving a final success rate of 89%, which reflects the program's effectiveness in combining theoretical knowledge and practical application.
For his part, Eng. Ahmed Hamed Al Asmi, Director of the Local Value-Added Department at the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Riyada), said that the program reflects the partnership between Riyada and the Projects, Tenders and Local Content Authority towards developing the project management system through investing in national cadres as the fundamental pillar for the success and sustainability of projects.